The Loss of Innocence
by bloodscorpion88
Summary: Tsukasa is the innocent one and the baby of the family. One night, her innocence is stolen from her. The event sends her on a downward spiral that engulfs the whole Hiiragi family in trouble and agony. Tsukasa is determined to show she's no baby, no matter how much shame and disgrace it brings to the family.
1. The Crime

CHAPTER 1

THE CRIME

The weather was cold. But what can you expect when it's Japan at New Years? It hadn't snowed yet but a small storm was brewing over the hills as the holiday put the Hiiragi Shrine in full swing of activity. People flocked to the shrine out of enjoyment or for spiritual guidance or to see what fortunes they had in store for themselves in the upcoming year. Two young women were selling trinkets behind a stand. One named Matsuri, the other named Inori. They had the most experience in this family business of theirs.

Another young shrine maiden swept the cobblestone walkway of dead leaves and little slips of paper containing used fortunes. She had very long hair divided into two twin pigtails, each one almost as long as she was. Kagami Hiiragi was feeling the stress of working this job and keeping up with her school work and she wondered how impending exams would work out for her. She wasn't able to study much recently in preparation for the holiday but still wore her confidence on the outside.

A fourth young maiden had short hair like her two older sisters, though she kept a ribbon tied in her hair and she held a paper inside her hands. She too joined a shrine visitor who a few minutes ago drew a good blessing. This maiden, Tsukasa Hiiragi, held her usually droopy eyes up high upon seeing she held a great blessing.

"What cha' got there?" Kagami's voice suddenly asked from behind Tsukasa.

The short-haired girl turned happily. "Look sis, I got a great blessing!"

Kagami closed her eyes and sighed with nostalgia. "Yes. Yes you did. Just don't get carried away with it like Konata usually does. You make your own luck."

Tsukasa giggled. "I know but I can't help it. Picking your fortune is fun after all."

Kagami nodded. "I know what you mean. Anyway, when all the visitors leave could you sweep the shrine's inside and dust the pictures? After that you can be done for the night."

"Sure thing, sis." Tsukasa replied happily. Nothing was going to spoil her good mood tonight. Not even doing some extra work for the shrine.

Tsukasa took the paper and moved it her other hand, but not before letting the piece of paper slice through her skin, creating a paper cut and making her shriek. Kagami saw the whole event and she took her sister's hand and looked at the wound and back at Tsukasa's eyes, which were beginning to water.

"Oh come now, Tsukasa. It's just a paper cut." Kagami couldn't help but smile as she reached into her pocket and pulled out her favorite handkerchief and wrapped around Tsukasa's finger. "Honestly you can be such a baby sometimes."

"Oh sis I'm no baby!" Tsukasa exclaimed as she quickly dried her eyes.

Kagami couldn't help but have fun with her sister. "You're right. You're a big girl now, which is why you still wear those character print panties of yours. The ones with the little teddy bears on them."

A bright red blush painted itself across Tsukasa's face. Kagami could practically see the smoke coming from her twin sister's ears when she said it but quickly added. "Don't worry about it, Tsukasa. Just take care of the shrine and then we can go to bed."

Kagami walked away as Tsukasa kept telling herself she wasn't a baby. She stared at her fortune with a smile again and suddenly felt the presence of someone come up next to her. She turned and saw it was a young man dressed in black with messy brown hair and piercings in his ears. He wasn't the type that comes around to a religious shrine often and Tsukasa was a little intimidated by his appearance.

"Good evening sir." She said happily regardless of his appearance, still telling herself she was an adult and could handle more shrine work.

The man looked to her and slightly nodded. "Good evening."

"Many good wishes to you and your family on this new year." Tsukasa said again, not breaking her smile or cheer.

"Thank you," he said passively and without emotion in his voice.

"Have you picked your fortune today? Or can I interest you in some lovely charms and bracelets from the shrine?" Tsukasa pushed her newfound maturity on the visitor.

"Actually…I came here looking for…advice." The young man said.

"Oh, I see." Tsukasa said and looked for her father knowing he would be the one to talk to but she couldn't locate him. A thought suddenly occurred to Tsukasa. Offering spiritual advice was a big responsibility and if she could do this, it would prove to herself and to everyone else she wasn't a baby anymore. "I can help you, sir."

The man turned to Tsukasa. "Well…my girlfriend left me today and…I don't know. I just wonder what…what it's all about. You know, life and everything."

Though Tsukasa never had a boyfriend before, she knew people's feelings. She started with comforting him and saying, "I'm so sorry. I can only imagine what you're going through and trust me I know life can be too much at times. But trust me I know, life is worth everything. You just need to give it time. You'll see."

The young man was impressed with Tsukasa's cheery attitude and charming smile. "Why thank you, miss. I feel much better now."

Tsukasa giggled happily again. "Anytime. How about you pick a fortune?"

The young man simply formed a small grin and politely shook his head. "No thank you. I believe my luck is starting to turn around already."

He turned and walked away, making Tsukasa feel very satisfied with herself. She had always envied the other women in her family for their strengths. Kagami for her intellect, Matsuri for her tough personality, Inori for her feminine personality, and her mother for her beauty. They were all images of beauty, unlike how she viewed herself as simply plain.

She turned and didn't see the young man she just consoled approach other troubled-looking youth. They exchanged looks with each other until he said, "The one with the ribbon in her hair. Tell the boys. I hear she'll be alone in the shrine tonight."

The second youth smiled sinisterly. "You got it, Ryosuke." The two then departed from each other.

At around 10:00 pm, the shrine was nearly deserted and Tsukasa was feeling fatigued. Her sisters were nearly done with their chores as the New Year's celebration came to a close. Her last duty was to sweep the shrine before locking up and she approached the desolate temple. Inside, she gazed at the pictures of the priests on her father's side of the family. The Hiiragi shrine was a longstanding tradition within the family that had been passed down from generation to generation. Her father's picture sat along the top of the wall respectfully as she smiled again and entered with her broom.

She began sweeping the floors and the shining moon and lights from outside illuminated the inside of the shrine. As she swept, Tsukasa was suddenly startled to see a human shadow form around her. She looked at the doorway and saw a male figure standing there and as she squinted, she recognized him as the young man she consoled earlier.

"Please forgive my intrusion. I didn't mean to startle you." He said politely.

Still taken by surprise, Tsukasa shook it off and allowed him to enter as she became cheery again. "Not at all, what can I do for you?"

He walked in and closer towards Tsukasa. She felt a little uneasy but knew she was in the sanctuary of her family's shrine, creating a false sense of security. The man opened his mouth and said, "I was thinking about what you said and I decided you were right. Life is worth a lot."

Tsukasa giggled again with a smile. "I told you so, silly."

The man continued to walk and around Tsukasa and the young shrine maiden followed him with her eyes and shifted her body towards him. She had no idea this is what he was planning. He wanted her attention away from the open doorway.

"So I was wondering…will you go out with me?" He asked when Tsukasa's back was facing the door.

The question caught Tsukasa completely off guard and she nearly dropped her broom in the process. Trying to speak through her burning blush, Tsukasa stuttered several times before replying, "I uh…don't think that would be fair to the rest of the pretty ladies in Japan. You seem nice enough but surely there must be someone else more fitting."

It was then that three more shadows stepped in front of the moon's light and covered Tsukasa. She quickly spun around and saw three young men dressed in black leather and dark jeans just like the one with her in the shrine. Tsukasa suddenly felt nervous and when she felt the cold flesh of a human hand cover her mouth from behind, she began to struggle and scream. The other three men rushed into the shrine while one of them closed and locked the door behind him.

Ryosuke's hand muffled her screams and she stopped completely when the shining glints of knives were brandished in her face by the three accomplices. Seeing the blades made tears flow from her eyes as one of the men stepped forward and began to gently run the tip of the blade across the soft flesh of her face. It didn't puncture but it was horrifying enough to give her goose bumps of fright.

He pulled the knife away and whispered, "If you ever want to pick another fortune again, you will do exactly as we say. Understand?"

Tsukasa, now quietly crying with her mouth still covered, nodded quickly.

The knife-wielding accomplice moved the blade down her face down her chest as her heart pounded faster and faster. He suddenly cut the sash of Tsukasa's shrine maiden uniform and the worst began. Ryosuke ripped the uniform off her shoulders, revealing her petite body and breasts as she continued to struggle.

Ryosuke pushed her violently onto the ground Tsukasa suddenly felt the incredible pain of him pulling her by her short hair and forcing her head to look at the pictures of her family before her that owned the shrine. Ryosuke whispered to her, "We're gonna spoil you in front of your own father."

The men ripped the rest of Tsukasa's uniform off and gazed her naked body as she desperately tried to cover herself with her hands while curled in the fetal position. It suddenly became hazy for her as she felt their hands all over her body and when she felt sudden and hard pains thrusting into her body, she could only think, _not in front of dad_.


	2. The Aftermath

CHAPTER 2

THE AFTERMATH

Kagami could still taste the putrid flavor of vomit in her mouth. She could still feel the anger raging inside her like an erupting volcano. She could still feel her eyes burn from the tears that had drained from her eyes. Worst of all, she could still see her sister. She could still see Tsukasa curled in the fetal position in the shrine, naked, shivering, and marked. Marked by the pulsing red handprints across her body. Across her face, across her back, and across her buttocks. She was also covered with a certain liquid that had a rotten stench to it as she cried relentlessly on the cold floorboards.

Kagami stood in the waiting room of the local hospital with her family. Her mother Miki sat in a chair crying while Inori rubbed her back and whispered to her. Matsuri was in the bathroom, probably punching stall doors and walls again, as her red and bruised hands had showed already. Tadao simply stood with one arm across his chest and his other arm resting on the first with his fingers slowly rubbing his lips. His look was deadpan. Nothing to be seen. His daughter had just been brutally raped only two hours ago and yet he couldn't lash out, even though he wanted to. He had to stay the pillar of strength and harmony even though his family was devastated by this horrible event.

They had been waiting anxiously in the waiting room for over an hour, each ticking second more gut-wrenching than the last. Waiting for the doctors was the worst part after they had asked a series of questions to the Hiiragi family earlier. _Is Tsukasa on birth control? _Kagami remembered seeing such an angry face on her father's face after hearing it. They were a religious family and didn't believe in such measures, but were also angered that Tsukasa could've possibly been impregnated by the rape.

The police also visited them earlier. Their questions were even worse. _Have you witnessed any one suspicious around the shrine lately? Has Tsukasa been in any fights or arguments with any men lately? Is there someone you know who possibly has a grudge against the family? Do you think this was motivated by a bigot group or individual?_ Knowing that such people even existed in the world reiterated the new terrifying revelation for the Hiiragi family.

Kagami looked at the hospital's clock, reading 12:45 am. While the rest of the country was celebrating the New Year, they were stuck in the hospital. _To think she had drawn a great blessing fortune earlier, _Kagami thought. _What a way to start the New Year_.

A doctor in a white coat came out of the ER and approached the family as they stood and braced themselves for the news. "Mr. Hiiragi?" The doctor addressed Tadao. "We cleaned her up and bandaged her wounds and she's stable. She's just in shock. After a good night's sleep she'll be able to go home in the morning."

Tadao nodded slowly. "We…were you able to find out if she was…if she…is…"

The doctor knew where he was going with this and answered for him. "I'm afraid there were signs of it. We gave her the pills and injection you approved of. You will be pleased to know though that Tsukasa came back negative for any STDs."

Hearing the first part only angered the family more. Their Tsukasa was not only violated, but also the fact that one of those punks possibly impregnated her was the worst, but the fact that she wasn't going to give birth to a raped baby allowed them to breathe a sigh of relief as well. Kagami asked if they could see her, which the doctor allowed.

The Hiiragi family approached the hospital room and when they saw her through the window, Miki couldn't control her tears anymore. Tsukasa's face was still plastered with red, black and blue marks and the sight of medical tubes attached to her body and the oxygen mask around her mouth only added to the full reality of what happened. Despite the medical atmosphere, she still looked peaceful as she slept and even snored quietly and cutely.

Miki took her sleeping daughter's hand and held it to her face and cried over it. Tadao took Tsukasa's other hand and held it too as Kagami and Inori stood side-by-side. The two sisters held each other's hands for support until Matsuri came stomping into the room and saw Tsukasa. Everyone could see the red on her face and the red on her hands, one of the knuckles bleeding slightly.

"I say we go out and find these bastards!" Matsuri snapped. "I'll cut their dicks off and mail them to their mothers!"

Tadao silenced his middle child. "Quiet Matsuri. Let your sister sleep."

Matsuri wanted to yell and scream more but knew her father was right. Tsukasa had a tough night and needed her rest. As she paced in the room, two policemen suddenly entered the hospital room. They grabbed Tadao's attention and asked for him to come outside with them.

He complied and the policemen informed him of news he was hoping for. A few minutes ago they had arrested a young man who matched the description Tsukasa gave before she fell asleep. They requested that Tsukasa would come down to the station in the morning and identity the suspect as her rapist. Tadao was reluctant at first but knew it was the only way to ensure justice to his daughter. Tsukasa would have to be strong and confront the monster again.

Tadao rejoined his family in Tsukasa's room as she continued to sleep soundly. He held his daughter's empty hand again and thought, _I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Tsukasa. I never wanted this to happen to you. I'm your father and I blame myself for not protecting you._

The Hiiragi family took the weak and frail Tsukasa home the next morning and to a heart-breaking scene. The police had been there the previous night and their family shrine was now roped off by yellow police tape, turning it into a crime scene. Tsukasa was half-awake and half-asleep as Inori and Kagami helped her out of the family car and back to the house. She was wrapped in a thick blanket as she continued to shiver from the traumatic experience and being surrounded by something soft would help calm her down.

Tsukasa didn't have much time to relax. She only had time to take a shower before she would have to go to the police station to identify her attacker. Tsukasa turned the water as hot as it could go and as she stepped under the streams, it instantly began to burn her but she didn't care. It wasn't hot enough and now matter how hard she scrubbed, she could still feel and see them on her and inside her. Even when she went through a whole bottle of soap she still felt dirty and worthless.

As she scrubbed her body, a knock was suddenly heard at the bathroom door, triggering Tsukasa to act sporadically. She jumped and crouched down and wrapped her hands around her legs, pulling herself together tightly and trembled again. "Who…who is it?" She choked.

"It's Kagami," her big sister replied. "Are you okay in there? Do you want me to come in and wash your back?"

Tsukasa shook her head violently. "No, no! I'm fine!"

"Okay…just let us know if you need anything, okay?" Kagami asked with detectable love in her voice and she walked away.

Miki and Tadao sat in their kitchen, each one with a cup of coffee in their hands and still trying to make sense of the situation. It was dreadfully quiet in their home as Miki opened her mouth to break the quiet. "I'll call the school and ask for Tsukasa to have off a few days."

Tadao slowly shook his head in disappointment. "Is that the best thing to do, Miki?"

"The best thing we can do is to make her as comfortable as possible after such a horrible thing." Miki replied quickly and confidently. "The more love and support she's surrounded by, the faster she'll recover."

"I don't know how to deal with this," Tadao said after he took another sip of coffee. "You hear about these things all the time on the news and you never think it'll happen to you…until it does. We can't even honestly say to Tsukasa that it will never happen again."

Miki nodded. "I know, dear, I know."

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

As soon as they arrived at the police station, Tsukasa trembled again. Her droopy eyes began to dart everywhere in their sockets and Kagami pulled her close and rubbed her head. It was just the twins and their parents going to this. They wanted it to be as calm and quiet as possible for the poor girl. It didn't help though when they went inside and were guided by the same policemen from the hospital last night to a secluded room with a two-way mirror. It only made things more real that this was now a part of Tsukasa's new life.

"I don't want you to worry now, Tsukasa. I know this can seem scary but only you can see them and they won't be able to see you when we bring them out." The policeman said as he led Tsukasa to the mirror.

Eight men were brought out into the lineup room, each one of them holding a number one through eight. They all looked like the scum of society. Men with scary haircuts, tattoos, piercings across their face, tattered and ugly clothes, dirty faces, and frightening appearances. Tsukasa swallowed and began to look at each man carefully.

It wasn't until she got to the seventh man when her knees began to tremble. She suddenly moved her hands in front of her groin as if she was shielding it and her tears began to flow again. She pointed to number seven. Unbeknownst to anyone but her, the man the police had in custody was Ryosuke, the same man she so generously offered her help to, as well as her gentle personality.

The policeman nodded and turned back to his radio and informed another that it was number seven. The ordeal was now over. Ryosuke would be charged for the crime and be put away for a long, long time. It still didn't erase the horrible memories of the rape and Tsukasa was in for a very long haul ahead of her.

A/N: BE PREPARED FOR MORE…BUT REVIEWS ARE ALWAYS APPRECIATED? IS IT GOOD OR DOES IT SUCK?


	3. The Beginning

CHAPTER 3

THE BEGINNING

Tsukasa's eyelids twitched and she slowly opened her eyes, only to have her vision blocked by the plushy face of a stuffed rabbit. She remembered it was Kagami's friend, Misao, that brought it over the other day. Yawning and slowly lifting herself up, she looked around her room, which was now decorated wall-to-wall with gifts and get well soon paraphernalia. Countless balloons were covering her ceiling while her bed was surrounded by bouquets of flowers and boxes full of chocolates. Stuffed animals of all kinds also cluttered her room and bed as she looked around at the collection. One thing she couldn't help but notice was that she woke up at 7:30 am, a rarity for her.

Looking around with a deadpan expression on her face, she slowly reached under her pillow and pulled out a small notebook and a pen. Despite being alone in the sanctuary of her own bedroom, she still looked around to make sure she was alone as she slowly opened the book. Jotting quickly, Tsukasa made another entry into her growing diary of secrets; a book she intended to keep away from the rest of her family.

When she was done, the only thing she had on her mind was another shower. She couldn't help but knock some of the stuff over as she got out of bed and shuffled towards the bathroom. It was Sunday so it was going to be nice and quiet for her. Nearly a week had passed since that horrible night but it didn't seem like it. Tsukasa felt like she was stuck in an infinite loop with the same event playing over and over in her mind but something was new. Each time it played in either her mind or her nightmares, she became less and less upset. However, she didn't feel as if she was accepting it either. She felt an emotion she never felt before nor could describe.

With her shower complete, she fixed herself up in the bathroom mirror and went to put the final touch on her figure after she was dressed. Wrapping the yellow ribbon in her hair, she fixed it standing up the way it always was. It was when she looked in the mirror again that she saw something she didn't like. She saw a little girl. A child. A little, helpless, defenseless, child with a ribbon in her hair. Tsukasa suddenly felt her stomach boil, prompting her to slowly reach up and untie the ribbon. Pulling it out of her hair, she held the long yellow cloth in her hands and, to even her surprise, she dropped it in the trashcan. Staring at herself in the mirror one last time, she turned away and left the old piece of herself in the trashcan as if it was a clipped toenail.

Aside from the ribbon missing, she thought she looked presentable enough for the world again and exited the bathroom. Smelling eggs, she walked down the stairs and into the kitchen, where she saw Inori standing over the stove. Tsukasa pulled a chair from the tale and the sudden noise slightly startled her older sister and forcing her to quickly spin around with a surprised expression.

"Oh, Tsukasa, you startled me," she said calmly and instantly noticed the new change in her sister. "You're…you're not wearing your ribbon."

Tsukasa exchanged a stern look to Inori, another rarity for her. What was even more surprising was her follow-up statement, which was just as stern. "So?"

Not exactly knowing what to make of the situation, Inori replied, "_So_…want some eggs?"

Tsukasa nodded passively.

Inori fixed the rest of their breakfast and joined her younger sister in hopes of getting her to open up. Ever since Tsukasa returned home from the police station to identify her attacker, she barely spoke. Everyone assumed she was still traumatized by the event, but she wouldn't cry or anything of the sort. She would just clam up and not say anything. Miki tried to get Tsukasa to write what happened down on paper so their lawyer could use it as testimony in court, but she wouldn't even do that. Not that it made any difference as the physical evidence taken off Tsukasa at the hospital matched Ryosuke. The only thing that still troubled the Hiiragi family was that Ryosuke's accomplices were still loose.

"Tsukasa, I was thinking about going to the mall today. There's a sale today and I saw this outfit there the other day that I thought would look great on you so what do you say we head over there together?" Inori tried to include her baby sister. "Come on, we never do anything together as sisters anymore. What do you say?"

"Remember the time I was six and I fell off my bike and skinned my knee?" Tsukasa suddenly interrupted as she pushed the food on her plate around with her fork.

Inori searched her memory bank and suddenly recalled the bonding moment. "Oh yeah. I was with you and you wouldn't stop crying, even when I bandaged your knee and kissed it. You stopped crying when I brought you ice cream though. That was kind of a funny day."

For a quick second, a small grin tugged at Tsukasa's mouth but it quickly disappeared when she asked, "Am I a baby?"

Inori heard the question but interpreted it a different way than Tsukasa intended. Inori heard it the way only a loving big sister would hear it, which dictated how she responded. "Of course you are, Tsukasa. You're my baby sister and I'll love you no matter what. Nothing will change the fact that you're my baby sister and I'll always be there to protect you."

Before Tsukasa could respond, Kagami walked into the kitchen, still in her pajamas and rubbing her eyes. Her eyes widened when she saw Tsukasa was awake before her. "Oh, good morning Tsukasa."

"Good morning, sis." She responded.

"Tsukasa, I was just in the bathroom and is this yours?" Kagami asked and suddenly held up the yellow ribbon she had disposed of earlier. "Why was it in the trashcan?"

Inori turned back to Tsukasa, now with a disturbed expression across her face. "You threw it out? But mom gave you that ribbon when you were a little girl. You've worn it every day for nearly ten years."

Tsukasa narrowed her eyes with her face still looking at her breakfast, which she hadn't touched aside from pushing it around with her fork. She suddenly dropped it, stood, and said, "I'm done."

As she turned to leave the room, Inori suddenly remembered something. "Tsukasa, wait. Minami-chan and Yutaka-chan were over here last night but you were asleep so they dropped this off for you."

Tsukasa turned back and saw her eldest sister holding a sealed, pink envelope with hearts and flowers drawn on it. Reluctantly, she took the card and brutishly passed Kagami, leaving her and Inori both confused and slightly started and for them to open a discussion amongst themselves about what was happening with their little sister. Tsukasa's usually cheerful and even babyish attitude that brought out her charm had been absent from the family ever since that horrible night and it was beginning to worry them. They had never seen Tsukasa act this strange and unresponsive to all the love she was receiving from her family and friends. Even the very notion of a family member touching Tsukasa either in a hug or a kiss or even washing her back made her more distant.

Tsukasa closed the door of her room and rested her back against it. Looking at the sealed envelope, she saw it had her name on it and as if her body went on autopilot, she opened the envelope, just like the countless others she had received that week from school, neighbors, and even complete strangers. She pulled out yet another get well soon card and inside, a handwritten message was put inside.

_Dear Tsukasa: Minami-chan and I wish to express our deepest love and sympathy to you. We can't even imagine what you're going through and we want you to know that we're your friends and we care deeply about you. You're not alone in this terrible event and if you need anything from us, please ask. The whole school is worried about you and we hope that you can return as quickly as possible. We love you Tsukasa and can't wait to see your beautiful charm again. Much love, your friends, Yutaka Kobayakawa and Minami Iwasaki._

Upon completion of her newest addition to her get well ensemble, Tsukasa held the card and scanned her entire room again. It was at that moment that she was it for what she suddenly saw it as in her newfound sense of reality. Her room was a living shrine to any child. Someone weak and frail who couldn't defend themselves. Someone who needed to rely on the gifts of stuffed animals and flowers to make them stronger. What kind of person is that? A domino effect began to unravel in Tsukasa's mind as she held the card in both her hands and suddenly did the unthinkable for someone like her.

Feeling newborn anger inside her body, she ripped the card in half. She continued to rip it until only scraps of it fell from her hands and littered her carpet. "I'm no baby." She said aloud and with rising emotions, prompting her to throw herself into her pillow and scream, "I'm no baby, goddamn it!"

She reached under her pillow again and pulled the little notebook out. With more anger and with a fierce glare on her face, Tsukasa wrote feverishly in the book, nearly breaking the pen and ripping the pages in the process. She wrote a lengthy entry this time and upon completion, hid the diary again. Not even on Tsukasa's worst day prior to her rape did she feel so angry and didn't know why. She knew she was surrounded by people who loved her, but for some reason, she was beginning to believe they were the reason why she was feeling so much angst. She didn't even think of Ryosuke's role in her suffering anymore. All she wanted to do was move on with her life but constantly being bombarded by all this gratuitous attention felt suffocating. It was the love that was choking the life out of her. The love and support itself was in a way keeping her in that infinite loop that she was thinking about earlier and it was her support that was keeping her from moving on.

Sitting on her bed with her knees tucked into her chest, Tsukasa looked around her room one last time at the shrine to herself and muttered with a growing sinister plan in her head, "Something's gotta give."


	4. The Meltdown

CHAPTER 4

THE MELTDOWN

"Are you absolutely sure this is what you want to do, Tsukasa?" The concerned Miki Hiiragi asked as she held her daughter's shoulders. She gazed at her daughter in her school uniform, the first time she had seen Tsukasa in it before the New Years break began. Tsukasa was extremely adamant about going back to school despite the fact that her school had given her a lengthy vacation to recover.

Tsukasa nodded as she held her schoolbag. "I'm sure, mom. I just want to go back and see everyone again."

Miki understood and kissed her daughter's forehead, which obstructed her vision of her daughter's face. She didn't see the frown form across Tsukasa's face as she stood like a statue and just accepted it like before. Though with each kiss and hug from her family members, all she could feel and see were those men. Those men as they abused her body and treated her like a doll. With each passing day and with each show of affection, she could feel her temper rising a little bit more.

Miki pulled away just in time for Tsukasa to wipe away her angry expression. Kagami's voice suddenly announced, "Tsukasa, come on we need to get going!"

Tsukasa slowly turned and walked towards her sister when her mother said, "I love you, dear."

Tsukasa didn't stop. She just kept walking and quickly muttered, "Yeah I know."

Miki felt confused and a little hurt by the cold return of affection. She tried to say something else as Tsukasa kept walking but as soon as she closed the sliding door, Miki sighed with depression. Feeling defeated, she slowly retreated to her kitchen, where her middle child Matsuri placed a mug of warm tea in front of her.

"Thank you, dear." She replied and took a sip.

"I saw everything," Matsuri said. "I'm starting to get a little pissed at her attitude."

"Matsuri you don't understand. Something so horrible has happened to your sister that it literally makes me sick to my stomach when I think about it." Miki sharply replied in defense of Tsukasa. "You and I can't even begin to understand what's going through Tsukasa's mind right now and that's one of the things that's killing me the most. I just want her to open up to me and tell me about it."

Matsuri folded her arms. "Yeah I guess, but if Tsukasa ever did decide to open up, would you _really_ want to know what happened in the shrine that night? We saw her when Kagami pulled her out of there and she was bleeding everywhere."

Miki shuddered through another sip of her warm tea. "I know. Since she won't open to me, I wish she would at least open to the police psychologist she's been meeting with ever since that night."

Matsuri's ears perked up and she leaned in closer. "Yeah, tell me about that. I've been trying to keep out of it as much as possible but—"

"When she was in those sessions, the doctor could barely pry more than two sentences out of Tsukasa. The only thing Tsukasa would say were things like 'it hurt so much,' and they don't understand how I feel now.'" Miki replied and felt her eyes become heavy with tears again. "She was just trying to help that young man out…and this is how he repaid her."

Matsuri shook her head. "He wasn't repaying her. He had her pegged as a target the moment he saw her."

Miki looked at her daughter. "What are you saying?"

Matsuri nodded. "I know punks like that in the real world. They're the losers of the world and can't get any girl to notice them, so they resort to that shit. One of my girlfriends from college has a cousin who was also raped by someone like him and she was never the same."

Hearing her daughter's words, Miki began to wonder if Tsukasa was doomed to suffer the same fate. She questioned if the family would ever be graced by the youngest daughter's innocent charm again or if she would ever bounce back from the rape. As of now, Tsukasa seemed to be a blank slate with no personality to her. Miki and Tadao tried to keep convincing themselves that Tsukasa was still mentally recovering and would one day wake up and rejoin the world like nothing ever happened. Their logic, in their minds, would only work if they continued to shower love and attention onto the youngest daughter.

"Inori also told me something the other day that kind of freaked me and Kagami out," Matsuri added. "Did you notice that Tsukasa wasn't wearing her yellow ribbon again today?"

Miki nodded. "I did but didn't say anything. You think she just forgot?"

"Kagami told me yesterday that she found the ribbon in the upstairs bathroom trashcan." Matsuri stated, making Miki's eyebrows raise. "Inori also said that Tsukasa asked her if she was a baby."

Miki looked down at her steaming tea and tried to put the two together. "I don't get it. What do you think she meant?"

Matsuri shrugged as her only response but soon reengaged her mother in the ongoing discussion consuming the whole household as Kagami and Tsukasa rode their train to school.

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_Why won't she say anything?_ Kagami kept asking this question in her head over and over again as the twins waited for their train to arrive. The oldest twin had just asked another question about how Tsukasa was feeling and once again, was met with silence from the youngest twin. Kagami tried to stick closer to Tsukasa than usual as the morning rush at the train station picked up and it became more populated around their personal space. Whether they were alone together or trapped in a crowd together, Kagami still felt uncomfortable with this new personality of Tsukasa's.

It was when a pair of hands quickly covered Kagami's eyes from behind and a voice called "guess who" that made the twin-tailed haired girl happy.

"Good morning, Konata!" Kagami exclaimed with excitement and turned around to see the short blue-haired girl. "Look who's finally coming back to join our group!"

Konata quickly pulled the silent Tsukasa into a deep hug and whispered, "Welcome back."

"Th…thanks." Tsukasa muttered back and waited for Konata to break the strangling embrace.

Konata then tried to do her part in making Tsukasa feel better. "You're lucky you got to take such a long vacation, Tsukasa. If I could take a vacation from school like that I would pitch a tent outside of Gamers and turn it into a _serious_ vacation!"

"Seriously? You would waste time doing that?" Kagami snapped. "You'll never change, will you Konata? You need to take things more seriously!"

Konata formed her trademark cat-like grin. "I bet if you had a vacation like that you would pitch a tent outside a candy store, Kagamin!"

"Shut up you!" Kagami shouted back with a pulsing red vein across her head now.

"It's the New Year after all so how many rice cakes did you add to your waistline this time?!" Konata added with a laugh as Kagami formed a fist and was ready to clobber the blue-haired otaku, just like how their teacher would.

It was as if nothing had happened. Tsukasa was caught in the middle of her sister's and friend's shenanigans again like it was every other day and an intuition was telling her that she should be happy, even give a slight giggle at times. Yet every time she tried to open her mouth or her heart, nothing came out. Even when Konata asked if Tsukasa liked the gifts she got her, all Tsukasa did was grin slightly and nod once.

Their train pulled up and allowed the three girls to board along with the tens of other people surrounding them. Allowing Konata to take the reins, Kagami backed away and let her otaku friend continue to engage the youngest twin in conversations. Konata, seemingly oblivious to Tsukasa's disinterest, continued to talk to short-haired twin about things that interested her such as cooking. She told Tsukasa about several new recipes she came across during the twin's absence and Konata was excited about cooking with her again. She even mentioned another sleepover with Kagami at her house again like old times.

Tsukasa hoped that she would blend in with the crowd at school but it was a futile attempt. Forgetting to take into consideration the nature of the crime forced on her, Tsukasa also forgot that as a result, the story was in a lot of the regional newspapers. It wasn't every day that a young shrine maiden is gang-raped inside a shrine on New Years. Tsukasa kept her head low and stuck close to Kagami and Konata as they walked the hallways and the youngest twin could feel her fellow students staring at her. Their eyes burned against her, making her paranoid and slowly but surely, making her blood boil.

When they reached homeroom, it only got worse when Tsukasa walked into the room. The eyes of her classmates were glued to her every movement as if she was some sort of celebrity, but Tsukasa was more than willing to relinquish that kind of attention at the drop of a hat. She quietly sat in her seat and in front of her good friend, Miyuki Takara. The pink-haired girl placed her soft hands on Tsukasa's tightened shoulders and gave her a light massage, making her relax.

"You really need to try and relax, Tsukasa-san." Miyuki whispered. "We don't want any pressure on you today. If you need help with notes or homework, please ask me. I'd be more than willing to help you."

Tsukasa nodded again as Miss Kuroi entered the room and to the short-haired twin's relief, it took all the attention off her. Kuroi knew about Tsukasa's return and commenced the class immediately. She knew students at their age and knew that rumors and lies spread like wildfire in the hallways and during lunchtime with their generation. The teacher had to do her part to keep all the focus on her as she started the class.

Across the hall in Kagami's class, the twin-tailed girl began taking notes as she listened to the teacher's speech. She suddenly felt a tap on her shoulder and glanced over to see a folded piece of paper being pushed closer to her and it was her friend Misao who was holding it. Reluctantly, Kagami took it and opened the note.

_Is your sister okay, Hiiragi?_

Kagami wrote back on the same piece of paper, _She's fine. Class has started._

Thinking she had heard the last of her dim-bulb friend, Kagami resumed taking notes but stopped again when Misao tapped her shoulder again with another note. Kagami tried her best to ignore it but Misao was clearly not going to let it go so the older twin had no choice but to take it and open it again.

_That's good but did you hear the rumor about her?_

Kagami's eyes suddenly narrowed as her attention was now on the paper. She quickly jotted down _What rumor?_ and handed the note back to Misao, careful to not let the teacher catch them.

The first thing Kagami noticed was how long Misao was taking in responding. Kagami knew that her friend wasn't paying attention to the teacher or taking notes for class but for some reason, she was writing a very lengthy response. The longer it took, the more Kagami's anticipation grew. She was hoping that Misao knew something about Tsukasa that she didn't as it was nearly impossible for her to get her younger twin to open up. Maybe Misao found something out and Kagami's readiness grew when she felt the note tap her shoulder again.

_There's a rumor going around the school and the streets that Tsukasa was paid by those creeps to act out a rape fantasy for them. I've been hearing about it non-stop ever since it happened and it won't let up. They're also saying that Tsukasa lied to the police to get them arrested so she can get a cash settlement or something. I also heard that Tamura-san is making her own dojin story about Tsukasa's rape and is planning on selling it at the next Comiket. She's already advertising it around Otome Road._

Reading the last part nearly made Kagami shoot up from her seat and create a scene. Some of her classmates noticed the sudden movement but lost interest when they saw nothing was happening afterward and they resumed listening. Everything that Misao said about Tsukasa was a lie. Her sister was brutally raped against her will and now one of their "friends" was planning on capitalizing on it at the next Comiket. Kagami felt her sister instincts burn and now wanted to confront Hiyori Tamura about this. Kagami, with gripping anger in her movements, wrote her final statement to Misao and handed it back to her. Her grip on the paper was so tight that her fingernails punctured the paper and left crumbling marks across it.

_If you run into Tamura first, tell her she's a dead bitch walking._

Misao quickly shied away from her twin-tailed friend. She was becoming more scary than usual, which was speaking volumes about her. A sudden change in the air was felt and it was the calm before a storm. A storm was coming and Misao could feel her knees knocking in preparation for it and whenever it would arrive, she didn't want to be anywhere within striking distance of it.

For the first year students, the only thing the rape of a senior meant was more safety lectures from their students and to always stay in groups when going to and from school. In the class of Minami Iwasaki and Yutaka Kobayakawa, they listened to their teacher finish his lecture on "no means no," the latest in the anti-rape campaign by the school. By the time his speech was over, the bell rang and it was time for lunch.

Minami and Yutaka pushed their desks together and Hiyori Tamura joined them as they began eating. Yutaka first opened with, "I heard Tsukasa is back today."

Minami slowly nodded. "I saw her earlier this morning with her sister and your cousin."

Hiyori's heart was beating in her chest as she was beginning to have second thoughts about the contents in one of her sketchbooks in her bag. What seemed like a good idea at the time was now beginning to weigh heavily on her heart and soul as she questioned the moral character behind it. She had a great idea for a story in a dojin, but at what cost to her friends? If Kagami found out, there was no predicting what she would do. She was a notorious hothead but whether she was capable of something violent was anybody's guess.

"Tamura-san?" Yutaka's innocent, bell-like voice asked, snapping Hiyori out of her trance.

"Uh, what was that?" She asked with embarrassment.

"I asked what you thought about this. Do you think Tsukasa will be okay?" Yutaka asked again.

Hiyori nodded this time. "Of course. Tsukasa can pull herself out of anything. I just wonder how this incident is going to weigh on how our school sees dating now. I heard they're really paranoid about this. My brother's school was always strict about such things like dating and every day after school they were borderline forced to go straight home."

"Well it's not like you hear about this kind of crime often." Yutaka replied. "We live in a pretty calm area and when that happened to Tsukasa, it shook everyone up."

"I know," Hiyori agreed.

"My big sister said that even she's been noticing a rise in crime lately and not just in the traffic area." Yutaka brought in Yui's experience as a policewoman to the table. "It's really scary if you stop and think about it."

Feeling depressed by the subject, Minami showed a rare demonstration of assertion and interjected. "By the way, Tamura-san, were we still going out to lunch this weekend?"

Hiyori nodded happily. "I wouldn't miss it for the world. I enjoy hanging out with you guys and—"

She stopped when she felt her cell phone vibrate inside her skirt pocket, prompting her to reach inside and pull it out. It was a text message and to her surprise, it was from Misao Kusakabe, who hardly ever texted her. When she read the message, her heart leaped into her throat.

_Hiiragi knows about the dojin. She's coming now. Run!_

As if her survival instincts took hold, Hiyori suddenly began to pack all her things in an attempt to flee the classroom before Kagami arrived. Yutaka and Minami were confused by Hiyori's sudden jolt of life as she struggled to pack her lunch away and get a move on. They tried asking her what the problem was but she ignored them and continued to pack ferociously until the sound of a wooden sliding door being ripped open from behind shattered the classroom harmony.

"You!" Kagami's voice erupted through the classroom and Hiyori could barely turn around in time as the oldest Hiiragi twin ran towards her and collided with the girl in a violent force, knocking the both of them over and taking a few desks with them, including the two holding Yutaka's and Minami's lunches as the two backed away in horror at what was happening.

Pinning Hiyori to the ground, Kagami threw smack and slap at the female otaku one right after another while yelling and cussing her name. The class was thrown into an uproar and everyone cleared a space while a boy yelled _FIGHT_ into the hallway, attracting more spectators as the brawl continued.

"Why'd you do it?!" Kagami yelled as she slapped Hiyori on the face again, knocking her glasses off. "Why would you do such a horrible thing you bitch?!"

Hiyori was so taken by surprise the only thing she could think to do was cover up as more and more waves of brute force struck her head and face. She cried for help but the class was just as horrified by the ambush as she was and didn't know what to do. They all knew this has something to do with Tsukasa and for all they knew, Hiyori was getting what she deserved. Hiyori reached up and was easily able to find a handful of Kagami's hair, making her pull with all her might and suddenly change the tide of battle as Kagami fell to the side. Instead of fighting back, Hiyori still tried to block Kagami's blows as a teacher finally plowed his way into the room and yanked the two girls apart.

"I thought you were our friend, Tamura!" Kagami called again as she saw the red across Hiyori's face courtesy of her blows. "Stay away from my sister you pervert! Stay away!"

Yutaka's fragile psyche couldn't take the drama and she began to cry, triggering Minami to pull the frail girl close as she sobbed at the violent scene. It was so scary for the young girl and she suddenly began to feel sick. More teachers poured into the room to assist while one harshly pulled Kagami by the arm and dragged her towards the principal's office while another took Hiyori out into the hall to find out what happened. The fight had started and ended so quickly that it caught everyone by surprise that Kagami, a distinguished senior, stomped all the way down to the first year hall to get into a brawl with Hiyori Tamura. One thing didn't occur to Kagami, however, as she thought she did her sister a service. News of the fight was sure to spread like a disease and only make Tsukasa feel more smothered at home and now, more isolated in school. Things were getting tougher for the short-haired twin and it was only her first day back.

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

Back at the Hiiragi residence, Inori was relaxing after doing some chores around the shrine. It had snowed earlier in the week so she had just finished sweeping the light dusting of white off the walkways of the shrine and returned back to her home. Her senses were instantly met with the sweet aroma of a baking cake from the kitchen and she navigated to the room and found her mother watching the oven.

"Something smells yummy," Inori said.

Miki turned and smiled to her oldest daughter. "It's for Tsukasa but there's plenty of batter left in the bowl over there."

Inori took a spoon from a drawer and began to devour the scrumptious batter. "It's really good, mom."

"Good," Miki replied with a wink.

Inori looked around again and noticed her other sister wasn't anywhere to be found. Even though Matsuri wasn't a fan of cooking, she was still never too far from the kitchen whenever Miki was cooking. "Where's Matsuri?"

"She left a little bit ago. She's meeting some of her friends today and then she's meeting with her advisor at school to discuss her last two semesters before her graduation." Miki explained and watched the timer tick down on the oven.

The phone suddenly rang, prompting Miki to say, "Could you get that dear?"

Inori complied and answered the phone with the family's standard opening, "Hiiragi residence." After hearing the voice on the other side, Inori quickly turned to her mother and relayed, "It's for you mom, its Kagami and Tsukasa's school."

Hearing this prompted Miki to panic slightly and she rushed over and snagged the phone from her daughter's grasp. "Um…hello, this is Miki Hiiragi."

Inori took it upon herself to grab the cake from the oven when the buzzer sounded while her mother was still on the phone. Using protective gloves, Inori reached into the oven and pulled the cake pan out and placed it aside as she tried to predict what was happening on the other end of that phone. She knew whatever it was, it couldn't be good as it was Tsukasa's first day and she instantly thought it was about the baby of the family having a breakdown in the class and unable to complete the day.

"Thank you…I'm on my way." Miki said and slowly hung up the phone but couldn't turn to Inori. "Kagami was in a fight. I have to go to the school and get them both so you're in charge until I get back."

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"You're lucky your little friend isn't pressing charges against you!" Tadao screamed at the twin-tailed girl later that night as she sat on the living room couch and he stood above her. "I know what your friend did was wrong and terrible by making that manga about what happened but what have I always taught you?! You _never_ resort to violence! Ever! Violence is beneath the dignity of this family and you've insulted me, your mother, your sisters, and ancestors by pulling this! Besides, the school says Tamura-chan has already agreed to destroy that story she drew. Needless to say, the school has suspended you for a week so you're grounded for a month, Kagami!"

Kagami sat and took it all with, what felt more like a bucket of salt instead of a grain. She could never remember a time when her father was this angry at all, let alone at her as she tuned out her father's words. Miki, Inori, and Matsuri sat in the kitchen, cringing at the sound of Tadao's every loud word. They too were intimidated by the man's harsh words to his daughter and they were more surprised by the sudden disappearance of his usual calm attitude. Tsukasa however sat alone in her room's darkness with a single desk lamp casting the only light onto her as she wrote in her private diary. As Tsukasa sat, she was able to hear every word her father yelled at her big sister. She could even feel the walls vibrate with his anger but she wasn't intimidated by her father's sudden split personality. Her inert facial expression was stern and focused as she wrote another disturbing entry and as she completed it, she heard a knock on her door.

Hearing it prompted her to suddenly slam the diary shut and hide it in a drawer before asking, "Who is it?"

"It's Matsuri. We're having dinner now if you're hungry." Her older sister said and walked away.

Tsukasa breathed a sigh of relief that her secret book was safe as she stood and came down the stairs to join her family in the awkward setting. Everyone was sitting at their usual spots at the dinner table, only everyone was afraid to break the uncomfortable silence after hearing Tadao scream at Kagami. Even the light winter wind blowing outside had more emotion in it than the entire Hiiragi family.

"Um…Tsukasa, I made sukiyaki, your favorite." Miki said as she brought the large bowl with the sizzling food over.

Tsukasa stared at the plate with her adopted deadpan face, which would usually light up like a fireworks show after learning she would be eating sukiyaki for dinner. Before Tsukasa could respond, Miki added in a desperate voice, "We're all here for you, Tsukasa."

Tsukasa opened her mouth and lightly said, "You didn't have to do all this."

"Oh it's no problem," Miki quickly replied with forced emotions in her voice. "We love you, Tsukasa. We really do."

Tsukasa knew what was happening. Miki felt guilty about sending her to school today because she believed that if she kept her home again, Kagami never would've gotten into the fight with Hiyori and her situation at school wouldn't have worsened. Her theory was confirmed as soon as Inori and Matsuri began to pile on the beef onto her plate, which they usually had to fight for. Her dinner plate soon contained more food than the bowl for the whole family as Inori got up and retreated to the kitchen again.

"Stop…" Tsukasa lightly whispered and could feel the pressure mount as her family moved closer.

"I'm keeping you home again tomorrow, too." Miki replied. "Maybe we can go shopping together for mother and daughter dresses like when you were a child."

"…stop…" Tsukasa whispered again and nobody noticed as she began to hyperventilate.

"After dinner, what do you say we go see a movie together?" Matsuri asked. "Don't worry, I'll protect you, lil' sis. I hear that anime movie you were looking forward to since last month is out and we'll go see that, even though it looks like it's for babies."

"I'm begging you…" the youngest girl whispered again and felt her anger and to her surprise, her hate rising like a balloon. Her flat hands resting on her knees formed into fists as she strangled the jeans she was wearing.

"And let's not forget dessert," Inori said happily as she returned with a large chocolate cake sitting in a decorative glass case and sat it in front of Tsukasa. "Eat up, it's all for you, _baby sissy_."

That was it. That was the final straw. Tsukasa could literally hear something inside her snap and it unleashed an unholy storm of hell as she shot up from her chair and screamed. She screamed at the top of her lungs and it scared the hell out of her entire family as they suddenly backed away a little. When her scream was complete, Tsukasa breathed heavily and was shaking like an entire earthquake.

"Tsukasa, what's wrong?!" Miki asked quickly and moved in with her arms stretched out.

Tsukasa looked up and what the family saw horrified them. Tsukasa had no tears in her eyes but rather, her eyes had changed. They were red as if she was crying but they were dry. The meanest and angriest glare was glued to her face as she panted and showed her teeth to her family as she inhaled and let it all out.

"Stop it! Just stop it, each and every one of you! Is this how you think you're helping me?! By strangling every single fiber of my being out of me?! You can't change what happened and I don't want you to try! That's right, mom, I was raped! I was gang-raped by four scum-suckers! Yeah that's right mom, those bastards tore my cunt apart and every other hole in my body and pumped me with their shit as I felt the blood drip from my area! All that happened on _your _watch!" Tsukasa coughed loudly and turned to her father. "And you! You think all the faith and confidence in the human race is going to keep your family safe?! Fuck you! You let your own daughter get raped and inside your own shrine and in front of the family pictures! You have no idea what humiliation they put me through in there and they made me feel worthless! Go add that to your prayers, father!" Tsukasa turned to her sisters, who were now beyond scared. "Is a _baby sissy_ the only thing I am to you?! A weak and docile creature that will always need your protection?! Where were any of you that night?! Why was I the one that had to go through that alone?! Well let me tell _all_ of you something! I don't need you or _anyone _else anymore! I'm not your baby sister and I sure as hell am not your sweet and innocent daughter anymore! The world woke me up to what's really going on here! This world is one big deception! From now on, I'm going _everything_ alone! Die! Die! Die! _Everyone and everything just die!_"

Tsukasa's rant was topped off by one final scream and a move nobody expected. She picked up her plateful of sukiyaki, turned towards a wall with pictures on it, and hurled the plate with all her might. The plate shattered against a family picture in front of their home when the four sisters were very young, which also broke the frame and threw the food everywhere. Tsukasa turned back to the cake, picked it up, and hurled it at the wall behind her sisters, making them jump for their lives as the glass-covered dessert shattered against the wall.

Tsukasa suddenly turned and ran out of the room but not before smacking one more family picture off a table and breaking it. It was a picture of Kagami and Tsukasa together in front of Ryōō High School the first day of their first year. They were with their parents as cherry blossom pedals fell all around them on the warm day.

Left in a state of shock, nobody in the Hiiragi family knew what to do now. Never in their worst nightmares would they label Tsukasa this way. Their frozen positions stayed for nearly two full minutes and it wasn't until Miki let loose her tears that everyone decided to act together.

"I'll sweep this mess up," Matsuri said and eyed the glass-riddled cake.

"I'll take care of the sukiyaki," Inori stated as she shook herself out of her trance.

Miki slowly walked over to the last small picture Tsukasa knocked over and bent down to it. She began to pick it up and let the broken glass slide off the picture and with her tears still flowing, she held the picture to her chest and let her sobs out. It was official and there was no denying it anymore. Tsukasa Hiiragi was in serious mental trouble. Tadao bent down to his wife and embraced her.

"We should call a doctor," Tadao whispered, which was met with instant resistance from Miki.

She violently shook her head before turning her head towards him, her face a leaking mess. "No, Tadao! I beg of you, please don't let them take my daughter away! Just…just give it more time! Let me be there for her! I'll fix this, I promise!"

Tadao couldn't help but sympathize and even agree with his wife. He didn't want to send Tsukasa away anymore than she did and trusted Miki's loving and tender ways to reach their troubled daughter. The rest of the night was dead as a result of the dinner incident. Everyone lost their appetite and didn't come anywhere near Tsukasa's room for the rest of the night. The time continued to march forward and nobody heard a peep from her, but it probably would've been best if they checked in on her.

At 1:00 am, everyone was asleep in the house except for one person. Tsukasa Hiiragi now sat in her room on her bed with her legs tucked to her chest and the same evil expression was across her face. She shifted her eyes and scanned her bedroom, which had recently undergone a dramatic change. From wall-to-wall, everything was gone. All her get well gifts, cards, letters, flowers, candies, stuffed animals, balloons, everything. Even her furniture, aside from her mattress, was gone. It was nothing but an empty space.

Knowing she had one last thing to do before her night was complete, Tsukasa lifted herself from her bed and was able to successfully sneak out of the house and through the bitter winter cold, navigated through the Hiiragi property and approached the shrine. She no longer saw it as a sacred place, but a scene of a crime. She slid the wooden doors open and the moonlight shined onto a stockpile of clutter sitting in the middle of the shrine.

All her flowers, stuffed animals, candies, get well soon cards, furniture, and all signs of affection from her family were sitting in the massive pile. Tsukasa slowly entered and reached into her pocket as she gazed at the clutter one last time. She even saw the picture of her with Kagami, Konata, and Miyuki when they were in Kyoto together. With her dark eyes still locked on the pile, she slowly retracted her hand and as the wind outside shifted, her nose caught the floating aroma of gasoline and in her hand sat a book of matches.

Striking one of the matches and lighting the rest on fire, Tsukasa held the burning paper book high and with a quick movement, flicked it at the pile of childhood memories. It was as if the sun itself lifted up from under the shrine's floorboards and the massive flames engulfed the clutter of love. The fires spread and began to burn the shrine and Tsukasa watched the pictures of her ancestors disappear in the walls of flames.

Looking down one last time, Tsukasa could see bloodstains at her feet. Her blood that dripped from her "area" on the night of the rape. Scowling at the sight, she callously turned and slowly walked out of the shrine as the structure began to buckle. Her final movement involved closing the door of the crime scene and walking away as if nothing happened. The fires breached the shrine's roof and now consumed the entire building, making it collapse as it continued to burn. Tsukasa could feel the last remnants of her old self burning with it as she walked towards her new lifestyle in the darkness of the night ahead of her.


	5. The New Tsukasa

CHAPTER 5

THE NEW TSUKASA

There was no doubt about it. Arson. Another crime had bestowed itself upon the Hiiragi family as they watched firemen pick through the smoldering remains of the once harmonious shrine that had been in the Hiiragi family for generations. Policemen were also there, some who had returned from interviewing neighbors about whether they saw anything or not. The firemen continued to look for clues in the charred wooden foundation while a policeman approached Tadao as his wife, Kagami, Matsuri, and Inori watched.

"Mr. Hiiragi, the firemen are confirming that it was arson since they have picked up trace amounts of gasoline on the wood," the policeman said with remorse. "Right now we suspect it was one or possibly all of Ryosuke's accomplices seeking revenge but we won't be able to confirm that for awhile. Until then, stick close together and report anyone suspicious to us_ immediately_."

The Hiiragi family continued to talk to the policeman while the fourth daughter Tsukasa was absent from the scene. She watched the whole thing unfold from her bedroom window with a piercing glare pointed at her family and she suddenly shifted it to her secret diary as she continued writing in it. Her daily entries were becoming longer, more detailed, and above all, more disturbing and horrifying for a girl who just only a few weeks ago would write and dream about either candy or puppies. Tsukasa closed the diary again and, as a result of her desk being gone, she hid it in the one area where no one would find it. She lifted the front of her mattress up and it revealed a torn section underneath it that was converted into a storage compartment, where she hid the book.

Changing into her school uniform again, she readied herself for yet another agonizing day where people would stare at her and talk about her behind her back. She was able to avoid her family altogether as she snuck out the back and began her isolated walk to the train station in the cold January morning. Nobody had spoken to her since last night and the fact that they had a shrine fire on their hands only gave Tsukasa more latitude from them, just as she had planned. With every step she took though, the thought of skipping school grew larger and larger. The last thing she wanted to do was deal with more drama so what was the point of going through it all?

Tsukasa arrived at the train station just in time to see her train arrive. The doors opened and as she walked to the open doorway, she suddenly froze as if she was shot. While the morning commuters bumped and pushed their way past her, she remained frozen in front of the open train doors with her new glare on her face. As she heard the alarms sound indicating the doors were closing, she simply said in her mind, _fuck it._

The train doors closed and she watched the train speed away to the usual destination near the high school. When the mode of transportation disappeared, she slowly turned and began to walk away from the station and towards the city. With one final notion, she lifted her schoolbag up and with sudden and angry movements, forced it into a garbage can as she walked past it. As she walked towards the city, she passed a series of glass-covered billboards with advertisements locked inside and the glass also worked as a mirror.

Tsukasa stopped and looked at one. Disregarding the advertisement inside, she looked at her faded reflection in the glass. The first thing she noticed was her hair color and she fingered her light purple layers on her head and tightened her glare. Next, she began to rethink her entire wardrobe and what was in her closet, which only disgusted her further because now everything she had she saw as babyish. Despite the fact that she opened up like a volcano to her family, destroyed precious pictures and even burned down the shrine, she still felt like the family's baby. _I think I need to make a few stops today_, she thought to herself and abruptly left the train station.

On her own, Tsukasa walked through the busy streets alone as people pushed past her as she made her way to several clothing shops and hair salons. She never went into such busy areas without Kagami or another family member for fear of being robbed or, what felt like a rerun at this point, being raped. She bypassed all the stores that she used to love to go in. The stores that sold cute and bright outfits that she was once incredibly fond of and remembered it was there where she basked in her former innocence. She quickly passed several restaurants and ice cream parlors where she, Kagami, and Konata would eat and spend time together. In her mind, those good times were dead and it was time for a radical transformation, both internally and externally.

Now in a whole new section of town, Tsukasa felt like, and was a fish out of water. The streets were darker, graffiti was spray painted on building walls, garbage was in the streets, and shifty-looking people stood in front of alleyways. As Tsukasa walked past an alleyway, she quickly glanced down the dark corridor and spotted two men talking to each other. One quickly handed a wad of yen bills to the other and quickly, the second man handed his customer a bag of an unknown substance. Her mental transformation was already happening and she knew it was drugs.

Tsukasa arrived at a clothing store that she had heard of several times but never thought she would have the nerve or the mindset to shop there. The store was called "The Black Window" and the outfits in the windows were polar opposite of what her parents would approve of. Black leather, suggestive miniskirts, go-go and kinky boots, shirts with gruesome and anti-religious images on them, and chains sat in the window as Tsukasa pushed the door open and stepped into the new culture store. Seeing the clothes dangling from the walls and the ceiling, she approached the front desk and to the female clerk, who was reading a dirty manga and was dressed in a frightening gothic ensemble.

Looking up from her manga, the clerk batted her thick eyelashes in confusion as she saw the naive young girl approach her. In a bitter and sarcastic tone she asked, "Can I help you."

Feeling a little intimidated, Tsukasa shook her fears away, cleared her throat, and opened herself to a new lifestyle. "A change is in order."

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Nanako Kuroi looked at her attendance sheet on her clipboard and scanned the names. "Hiiragi, Tsukasa." She called and looked around the room but the youngest twin's face was nowhere to be found. "Has anybody seen Tsukasa-san this morning?"

Silence came from the class full of students as they looked at each other and either shook their heads or shrugged. Kuroi thought it strange and while giving a confused hum to herself, marked an X across today's date next to Tsukasa's name. She quickly wrote a reminder note to herself on the sheet to call the Hiiragi residence at lunchtime and ask if everything was okay. Even though Kagami wasn't in her class, she was still updated about the fight the previous day and that the oldest Hiiragi twin would be out of school for a week. She thought the fight had something to do with Tsukasa's absence as she closed her attendance book and resumed class.

"Okay everybody, we're going to pick up where we left off yesterday with the end of the Vietnam War in the year 1975. By the spring of this year, the American forces had all but finished withdrawing their forces as Ho Chi Minh's North Vietnamese Army closed in from the north." Kuroi said as she began writing dates and names on the chalkboard. "The evacuation of the US Embassy in Saigon became known by the Americans as Operation Frequent Wind, which occurred in April of that year and as this happened, across the border in Cambodia…"

Kuroi's voice trailed off as Konata stopped taking notes and began to think. It was rare for the blue-haired girl to think this way but she was seriously pissed off today and at Kagami of all people. When Yutaka arrived home later that night, she was still crying after seeing the fight between Kagami and Hiyori. To make matters worse, Yutaka had to stay home today because the trauma induced flu symptoms in her weak body, which Konata blamed on Kagami. Konata tried to keep her usually calm demeanor and kept reminding herself of the Hiiragi family's situation. Still, something felt odd about Tsukasa's sudden disappearance.

The cold weather in January rearranged the gym class schedule for first years Minami Iwasaki, Hiyori Tamura, and Patricia Martin. Volleyball was the name of the game today as Hiyori and Patty were put on one team while Minami was put on the other. As the gym teacher and two other students assisted in raising the net, Patty scooted closer to Hiyori. Trying not to make it look obvious, Patty whispered, "Feeling any better today?"

Hiyori glanced at Patty before quickly facing her attention forward again as the girls stood in volleyball formation on the court waiting for the game to start. Hiyori quietly replied, "I still hate myself. I had all of that coming yesterday."

"Well if it makes you feel any better…the whole school thinks the same thing." Patty replied.

Hiyori's head collapsed and a dark shadow fell over her as her depression worsened. "Leave me alone."

"I'm sorry, Hiyori," Patty quickly responded as the teacher and students finished fixing the net. "You made a mistake, that's all. But just for the record, I still think you should stick with your usual yaoi stories."

A deep blush ran across Hiyroi's face while the first serve of the game was launched by the opposing teams and it headed straight for Hiyori, which she didn't notice. Despite everyone on her team calling her name, the ball landed and struck her on the head, but the deep state of shock she was in made her stand perfectly still.

"…Missed." Someone on the opposing team said as the laughter followed.

The opposing team was allowed to serve again and Hiyori's mind was in the game this time as she returned it. This still didn't hamper her ongoing conversation with Patty as she said, "I think Iwasaki-san hates my guts now after what happened to Yu-chan yesterday. She's absent you know."

Patty waited for the ball to return to her side and she was able to return it before replying to Hiyori. "Nah, I don't think Iwasaki-san hates you, Hiyori, nobody does. I don't even think Kagami hates you either. You just need to give it more time. Trust me, this issue with Tsukasa is big now but sooner or later it'll all pass and everyone will move onto the next big thing."

Hiyori watched the ball bounce off one of her teammate's arms and land in her direction as she got ready. She hit it high again and it made its way over the net and the opposing team wasn't able to get to it in time, which scored a point for her team. "Maybe you're right, Patty. I just hope it blows over fast. I miss Tsukasa's soothing personality. It complements her sister's tsundere personality."

Without their favorite tsundere to eat with, Misao Kusakabe and Ayano Minegishi sat together and ate lunch, not wanting to address the elephant in the room. It was, as always, Misao who broke the uneasy silence in her usual loud and brutish ways by saying, "Well I admit it. I miss Hiiragi."

Ayano looked up from her bento and smiled. "I understand. It is always more fun with Hiiragi-san."

"I still can't believe she went and did that to Tamura-san yesterday," Misao said as she talked with a meatball in her mouth. "I regret telling her about that manga she was drawing or else she would still be here."

Ayano nodded and replied, "But it still wouldn't have helped Tsukasa-san. Speaking of that, I heard she was absent today. That's rather strange, don't you think?"

Misao shrugged and a thought suddenly occurred to her. "Before I left home this morning I had heard that a shrine was burned down by an arsonist late last night. You don't think it was the Hiiragi shrine and that's why Tsukasa-san is absent, do you?"

"Oh come now, don't talk such nonsense," Ayano said in her usual soft voice, her smile still present with her eyes closed.

"Anyway, have you ever noticed that how whenever something bad happens to someone you know then all of a sudden that's all you hear about like on the new and around the halls?" Misao asked as she finished her last meatball while chewing loudly.

"I sort of get what you're saying," Ayano closed her bento as the lunch period neared its end. "I remember this one time where an old friend of mine had an aunt and uncle whose house was burglarized when they were out one night. After she told me, all I heard about on the news for the next week were stories about home invasions."

Misao shook her head as they began to push their desks back together and the teacher walked in while the bell sounded simultaneously. "It's quite a strange world we live in."

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Kagami was being worked like a dog back at the family's residence. Just because the school sent her on a week-long vacation didn't mean that her father was going to let her kick back and relax. She was either sweeping the property's grounds, trimming hedges, polishing or dusting the religious relics, or anything around the house Miki asked of her daughter. Miki wasn't as cruel as her husband was in dealing out the punishment, which she showed when she brought Kagami a cup of hot tea for her while she worked outside.

Miki approached her daughter with the steaming cup sitting on a tray as Kagami rested her broom, cupped her hands, and blew into them to warm her fingers as her mother handed her the cup. "You've been working hard, Kagami."

Kagami nodded as she took the cup and swallowed a sip before replying. "I know I screwed up yesterday with Tamura-san. When I see her next week I'll apologize to her and hopefully we can still be friends."

Her mother smiled and nodded. "That's the right thing to do, Kagami. You know your father and I love you very much, right?"

Surprised by the question, Kagami eventually gave a faint smile and nodded once. "I know, mom. I brought last night on myself, but I hope Tsukasa is okay."

Miki's fragile happy expression was suddenly destroyed after Kagami mentioned it. The whole family was still shook up by what happened the previous night and to make it worse, Tsukasa took off earlier this morning without telling anyone. Miki knew her youngest daughter had school today but couldn't get the arson crime out of her mind. What if what the police said was true and it was Ryosuke's friends and they were still in the area? Miki's worst nightmare was that they would find Tsukasa again and force her into another round with them for revenge.

Inori's voice suddenly broke the silence as she came running up the large concrete steps to the shrine with a telephone and panted, "Mom, phone call! It's the high school!"

Miki's heart leaped into her throat and knew something was wrong again as she began to tremble as she reached for the phone. She reluctantly took it and put it to her ear and stuttered her name to acknowledge the person on the other side.

"Hiiragi-san, this is Nanako Kuroi," the girls' teacher said. "I'm calling to make sure everything is okay at your home today."

For a moment, Miki breathed a sigh of relief and believed this was another courtesy call of concern. She responded, "We've had a few rough spots since the incident but we're getting better. Thank you for asking, Miss Kuroi."

"Well that's good because I was just wondering why Tsukasa-san was absent today." Kuroi added.

Miki nearly lost grip of the phone when her palms became instantly sweaty upon hearing Kuroi's last sentence. Her heart pounded so hard in her chest it felt like it would tear through at any second and she began to panic. Inori and Kagami saw this and rushed over to their mother as she collapsed to her knees and began to hyperventilate. Kuroi kept asking "hello" on the other side when Kagami snatched the phone while Inori tried to calm Miki down.

"Hello, Miss Kuroi? It's Kagami. What's happening?" Kagami asked.

"Oh hello Kagami," Kuroi replied and repeated her sentence. "I was just wondering why Tsukasa wasn't in school today."

Nearly following her mother's reaction, Kagami had enough sense to keep herself calm and explain that the family thought Tsukasa was at school that day. It immediately sent red flags up for both sides as Kuroi promised to inform the school a student was missing while Kagami hung up the phone and dialed her sister's cell phone. Kagami knew how much Tsukasa loved her cell phone and believed that no matter how Tsukasa was feeling, she would still always respond positively to her phone. Kagami put the phone back to her ear and listened to the dial tones that followed. The first one, then the second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth. By the tenth consecutive ringtone, the phone went into voicemail and Kagami began to panic. She had no choice but to dial the police, a practice becoming too common in their family.

"Hello, I would like to report a missing person." Kagami's voice became crackled and it only worsened Miki's panic.

Kagami engaged the policeman on the other side of the phone for another fifteen minutes, sometimes becoming temperamental and raising her voice and for good reason. The oldest Hiiragi twin soon realized that despite their situation, the police weren't going to be much help in their search for Tsukasa. Kagami eventually thanked them properly before hanging up the phone and turning to her older sister and mother.

"Well, what did they say?" Inori asked impatiently.

"They said they can't officially declare someone missing until twenty-four hours after we discovered they're gone." Kagami said with remorse. "I gave them a description of Tsukasa and the only thing they can do is alert any nearby officers to look for any girl wearing a uniform for Ryōō High School."

Inori signaled to Kagami to hand her the phone. "I'll call Matsuri's cell and tell her to keep her eyes out too and spread the word to her friends. Maybe they saw Tsukasa somewhere."

"Oh god I hope she's okay," Miki whispered as she felt tears in her eyes again.

As Inori called Matsuri, Kagami helped her mother to her feet and guided her back to their home. Kagami swapped roles with Inori and played the role of the comforter as they walked back to the house and Inori finally connected to Matsuri. The oldest Hiiragi daughter told Matsuri the whole story, which only infuriated the hot-headed young woman and her mind jumped to the worst conclusion. She feared that Ryosuke's punks had returned for their final part of revenge by raping Tsukasa again after they burned the shrine down, at least that's what she believed happened.

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Konata arrived home later that day without the company of Kagami or Tsukasa on the train. Either way, the only thing she had on her mind was making sure Yutaka was okay and feeling well enough to return to school the next day. When Konata returned home, she arrived in the living room and was delighted to see Yutaka and her father playing a video game together as the frail girl was feeling much better.

"Oh hey, onee-chan!" Yutaka said happily and with clear energy in her voice.

"Hey yourself," Konata replied with a smile as she sat her schoolbag down. "You look like you're feeling better."

Yutaka nodded with cheer. "I sure am. It was just shock from seeing the fight."

Konata's smile was suddenly wiped clean. "Oh yeah, that's right, I need to talk to Kagamin about that. If she didn't start that, you wouldn't have had to miss school today."

"Oh don't worry about it, onee-chan," Yutaka replied. "I can understand why she did that to Tamura-san. I have a sister, too, so I know what Hiiragi-san is feeling."

"What's going on, you two?"Sojiro suddenly interjected as he was at a loss of what the girls were talking about.

"You remember what happened to Tsukasa?" Konata asked her father.

He nodded with remorse.

"Well one of our classmates decided to make a manga story about it and Kagami beat her up pretty good for it yesterday. Kagami was suspended for a week because of it." Konata informed him.

Sojiro slowly shook his head before replying, "So…when will this manga be out exactly?"

"Dad, that's not funny!" Konata snapped. "I worry about how you think sometimes so please don't let Yui-nee-san catch you with anything that she can arrest you for!"

"I'm kidding, you know I'm kidding honey." Sojiro began to see the faux pas of his attempt at humoring his daughter and niece. "What do you say we get dinner ready? Wasn't there a special recipe that you wanted to try out, Konata?"

Konata instantly remembered about the one recipe she came across that involved beef with green onions that also had curry with it as well. She and Yutaka teamed up and began to assemble the meal and as they were getting ready to eat, they heard the all too familiar sound of Yui's car pull up outside. They expected her usual flamboyant personality to crash through the door like it always did but this time was different.

Yui quickly entered but instead of her usual excited persona coming from her, a look and atmosphere of dread followed her. "Konata, have you seen or talked to Tsukasa Hiiragi lately?"

Still not knowing what to make of the growing situation, Konata shook her head and replied, "No, why?"

"Well I just got off work and I heard on my squad car's radio that Tsukasa is missing and that her sister called the police about it." Yui replied.

Hearing the dreadful news prompted Konata to quickly abandon her task as chef and find her cell phone, which she rarely used. She quickly called Kagami's number and waited anxiously for the dial tones to end and to hear her friend's voice replace them.

"Hey, you." Kagami's voice replied slowly and painfully as she recognized it was Konata from her caller ID in her cell phone.

"I'm sorry, I bet you were hoping I was Tsukasa, right?" Konata asked.

"Yeah I was," Kagami replied. "How'd you find out?"

"Yui-nee-san told me. But look on the bright side, Kagamin, she knows so that means the police know and they're keeping an eye out for her." Konata said as she heard her family continue fixing dinner.

"I know, but she's been gone all day." Kagami added with clear depression in her voice. "But I'm actually glad you called, Konata. I want to apologize for yesterday."

"Apologize? Why to me?" Konata asked with curiosity.

Kagami cleared her voice and replied, "I know that Yutaka-chan was right there when I was fighting Hiyori. I bet I scared her and I've felt bad about that all day. Tell her I'm sorry too and I won't do that ever again."

Konata felt a smile tug at her face and her eyes closed as she sighed before she replied to her friend as she felt her frustration before fade away. "And Kagamin's heart grew three sizes that day…"

"Oh shut up you!"

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"Okay, sweetheart, we're almost done here." The female clerk of The Black Window said as she washed Tsukasa's hair. "I have to admit, when you first walked into my store, I never thought you would have such a dark story."

The clerk stood above Tsukasa as the petite Hiiragi twin sat in a chair while her new friend washed a new image into Tsukasa's short hair. The clerk's name was Yuka Miyakawa and she had taken a newfound interest in her customer. She had to admit to herself that she was fascinated by Tsukasa's story of her rape and was even a little turned on when she mentioned she burned down the family's shrine as an act of revenge. Because of this, Miyakawa took Tsukasa under her wing and began to mentor her in her pursuit for a new and darker look that was the polar opposite of a baby. In the backroom of the store, Miyakawa operated her own hair salon, in addition to a tattoo and piercing parlor. She turned on the warm water and washed a coloring dye out of Tsukasa's scalp when it finally dried and the new color was soaked in.

When the transformation was complete, Miyakawa dropped a towel on Tsukasa's face and the youngest Hiiragi twin dried her hair and when she removed her towel, her short hair wafted in the movement and revealed the darkness of her newborn black hair with a single blue stripe running vertically down on the right side of her face. She took a small mirror and studied her new look with leering eyes, another rare thing for her to do with her eyes. "You do good work, Miyakawa-san."

Miyakawa cracked the gum she was chewing behind her thick, painted lips and smiled. "You're welcome, Hiiragi-san. It looks really good on you, too. So since you now have the hair and the clothes, how about we complete the look with a new tattoo?"

Hearing this made Tsukasa's heart pound since she knew about tattoos but worst of all, she knew about needles, which instantly turned the idea off. "Maybe some other time, Miyakawa-san. What time is it by the way?"

Tsukasa's new friend looked at her watch and answered, "Almost 6:00. Why?"

Tsukasa had no idea it was that late and already knew that she had missed a full day of school and surely by now her family would know about it. With a groan, she replied, "I have to get back home. If I know my mother and sisters, they'll be calling in the Special Assault Team to try and find me."

Miyakawa rolled her eyes. "I know the feeling. My parents were the biggest asses about that shit. The happiest day of my life was when they divorced and I was able to move out of that hellhole."

Tsukasa couldn't help but feel a little hurt at what she said. The youngest Hiiragi daughter was having some emotional problems and trouble with dealing with her problems, but she still could feel attachments to her family. It was then when she began to feel guilty about the dinner incident and even worse about the shrine. Tsukasa turned her head and stared at a shopping bag, which contained the new clothes she had bought from the store and began to have second thoughts about her lifestyle as she stared at the mirror again.

"I should go," Tsukasa said quickly and was almost able to rush out the door before Miyakawa stopped her.

"Hey, before you go, I have some friends from inner-city Tokyo who are throwing a rave tonight in an old warehouse. It would be great if you would come and we could show off the new Tsukasa Hiiragi to the world." Miyakawa said as she packed her hair supplies away.

Tsukasa turned to her. "A rave?"

"Yeah, you know, a big party with lots of dancing, lights, music, and a whole lot of fun." She added. "What do you say? You in?"

Tsukasa had never been to a party before, much less a rave in inner-city Tokyo with a girl she had met only a few hours ago. As she saw Miyakawa was waiting for a response, Tsukasa quickly weighed in all possibilities. What if she gets lost? What if it's too extreme for her? What if something happens and she's hurt again? A thought suddenly clicked in her mind and she suddenly realized that these were all thoughts a baby would consider and she thought about what her family would say. They would forbid her to go to such a party and say she's not mature enough, which made her more angry and prompted her quick response.

"Okay, Miyakawa-san, count me in." Tsukasa said with confidence.

"That's my girl," Miyakawa said but looked at Tsukasa's wardrobe, which still consisted of her school uniform. "But are you seriously wearing that to the party?"

Tsukasa looked down at her body and suddenly saw what her friend was seeing. Even though Tsukasa destroyed all remnants of her babyish lifestyle, she could still see them and this time, in her school uniform. Miyakawa suggested that Tsukasa wear her new wardrobe to the event, which Tsukasa agreed, and Miyakawa allowed her to use one of the dressing rooms to complete her new transformation.

As she was changing behind the curtain-drawn room, Miyakawa couldn't help but giggle to herself as she heard Tsukasa struggling. "Um…Miyakawa-san, how do I work the zipper on this skirt?"

"You have to jiggle it a little, first. It's a new miniskirt so it will be tight at first." Miyakawa replied and continued to wait as she heard the continuous sounds of zippers, laces being tied tight, and new clothes unfolding.

It took five more minutes for Tsukasa to finish dressing and when she emerged from the dressing room, no one would ever recognize her. Starting at her feet, black leather boots that stretched from her toes to the bottom of her knees covered her legs. Fishnet stockings covered the rest of her legs and disappeared under her red and black striped miniskirt that had chain-links all around it with a skull emblem holding them together in the front. A black leather top with chain-links holding it together covered Tsukasa's upper body while black and purple striped gloves were wrapped around her hands to her forearms and a short red and black striped scarf finished her look.

"You look hot," Miyakawa said while she quickly licked her upper lip.

Tsukasa grinned and allowed her new friend to close the shop and they were soon off to the train station that would take them to downtown Tokyo. The youngest Hiiragi twin learned a good deal about Yuka Miyakawa, including the fact that she had two cousins named Hinata and Hikage Miyakawa, and Hinata worked at Gamers, the store Konata was very fond of. The cousins had very little in common, including stability in their home lives, which showed in the stores they worked at.

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Riding the train to the darkest part of Japan's capital city brought chills to Tsukasa and butterflies flapped in her stomach as her ride came to a screeching stop at 9:00 pm that night. It was dark at the station with the only lights provided were the lamps above them or the glittering Tokyo skyline miles down the road. Still feeling nervous, Tsukasa was guided by Miyakawa and they were able to take a taxi to an older and even darker section of the city.

When the two girls arrived at the spot, Tsukasa was a little frightened at first. It was an old warehouse like Miyakawa said and a loud pulsing bass sound shook the ground and they could both see multi-colored lights change and flash from inside the building. Miyakawa took Tsukasa by the arm and dragged her to the side door and as soon as she opened it, Tsukasa was blasted by whole new world. It started with the deafening blast of rock and death metal with flashing strobe lights and the sight of people dressed in the most bizarre getups, as well as so many new smells. Still being dragged by her new friend, Tsukasa didn't know what to make of what was happening around her until Miyakawa stopped them and they were standing around three men and two other girls, all dressed the same way they were.

Because of the loud, pulsing music, Tsukasa could only read her friends lips when Miyakawa said, "This is Tsukasa!"

Her friends turned to her and nodded once, as if they were still a little unsure about how dark she truly was. One of the guys talked to the other and the other nodded, making him reach into his leather jacket and pull out a small tin box. He opened it and inside, dozens of perfectly circular white tablets sat inside and he began to pass them out and Miyakawa wasted no time popping it in her mouth. When Tsukasa was handed the tablet, she was reluctant to take it.

Miyakawa scooted over to Tsukasa and whispered loud enough for Tsukasa to hear, "Swallow it, sweetheart, it's 'sugar.'"

Tsukasa did like the sound of that as her naivety with the streets was still present as it made her swallow the mysterious pill. It was at that moment when everything that remained of the good and innocent Tsukasa died. Her pupils dilated and as she looked around at the party, everything began to melt. Tsukasa began to hear voices coming from everywhere, even inanimate objects, and peoples' skin colors began to change from everything to black to even purple and sometimes, green with yellow dots as she felt her heart race and sweat trickle down her forehead. She looked around again and saw the walls were flashing different colors and it was when one man turned to her and faced her that only deepened her trip. His face began to melt like ice in summer and when she saw his eyeballs fall out, two snakes slithered out of his sockets and hissed violently at her as she jumped back.

Tsukasa struggled to keep her balance as she continued to feel the strong effects of the LSD she had swallowed and suddenly saw a fire. Upon squinting to see it better, she saw her own shrine go up in flames but what came next horrified Tsukasa. The doors of the shrine opened and to her horror, her three sisters, mother, and father rushed out, each one on fire and screaming in pain as their flesh began to burn and peel off their bleeding bodies.

Horrified, Tsukasa screamed but it was instantly buried by a song from an American band called Avenged Sevenfold. The only verse Tsukasa could hear from loudspeakers was "_They took for granted your soul, and it's ours now to steal, as your nightmare comes to life!_" Still, Tsukasa pushed her way through the crowd, thinking she could save the hallucination of her family that still burned.

She was cut off by another man who bumped into her and when she looked at him, she only saw the head of a deer with massive, jagged antlers. The deer's head screeched loudly at her and bore its yellow, blood-soaked teeth at her with piercing red eyes and the antlers suddenly came alive and screamed loudly. Tsukasa pushed away from the deer and bumped into a woman, who upon turning, she saw a cute teddy bear, which made the pounding of her heart slow and she began to calm down and added a smile to her face. It wasn't until the teddy bear's mouth opened and a flock of bats flapped out and flew at Tsukasa, making her panic and swat at them even though she only struck air. It was followed by a collage of cockroaches, centipedes, and rats crawling out of the cute bear's mouth, ears, and nose, only deepening Tsukasa's fear and one final thing happened that nearly made her vomit. The bear's head began to inflate like a balloon slowly and quietly until a massive flash blinded Tsukasa when it exploded and when the youngest Hiiragi twin opened her eyes, she saw the teddy bear's head was now gone and a headless corpse gushing blood from the open neck was left. Tsukasa screamed again and looked at her wardrobe and saw it too was soaked in blood, skull, hair, and flesh pieces and when she wiped her hand across her face, she saw it was also soaked in the red liquid.

A hand suddenly grabbed Tsukasa's shoulder from behind, making her jump and spin around and to her relief, it was Yuka Miyakawa. Miyakawa opened her mouth and yelled, "There you are! You move really fast in those boots!" Tsukasa's body began to adjust to the LSD and another song suddenly came over the loudspeakers from a band called Escape The Fate and Miyakawa's ears perked up.

"Miyakawa-san, where am I?" Tsukasa asked groggily.

She didn't hear her and replied, "I love this song! Come on, let's dance!"

Miyakawa dragged Tsukasa again onto an open dance floor and to the lyrics of the song "Gorgeous Nightmare," she began to lead Tsukasa in a group dance that lasted through the song and Tsukasa suddenly felt another new sensation as her body trembled, her blood rushed, and her knees knocked.

Miyakawa felt the full sensation of her LSD too and suddenly did something that caught the whole attention of the party. Looking at Tsukasa's drooping face, she placed her hands under the Hiiragi twin's cheeks and made her look up at her.

"Mi…Miyakawa-san," Tsukasa said.

"You better call me Yuka from now on, Tsukasa Hiiragi!" Yuka exclaimed and pulled Tsukasa's face to hers. Tsukasa barely knew what was happening when her lips connected to Miyakawa's and their kiss deepened when the experience shop owner pried Tsukasa's mouth open and made it more intimate. The focus of the party was on them as a mixture of cheers and hoots rallied over the music as they lyrics came to, "_You make me feel brand new, yeah  
we resurrect, it's like I've come back to life!_"

When Miyakawa pulled away from Tsukasa's lips, the former shrine maiden was trembling with a little bit of saliva dripping from her mouth. An expression of fear, shock, anger, and excitement was plastered on Tsukasa's face but she pulled Miyakawa into a hug and whispered for her to hear, "I need company tonight!"

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The next sound heard was the opposite of what was heard the previous night. Birds chirping outside on a tree branch made Tsukasa's eyelids twitch and she slowly opened her eyes. Her eyes gazed at a window with the curtains drawn where she the chirping was coming from and she tried to make sense of things. It didn't take her long to realize that she wasn't in her own room or even her own home as she pulled herself up from the bed and quickly flinched when she realized she was naked. Using the sheet to cover herself, Tsukasa looked around the room, which was painted black and had posters of gothic and punk rock bands on it and she felt another human body next to her.

Yuka Miyakawa was sleeping soundly, also naked and from the look of her, she was physically exhausted. Tsukasa tried to make sense of what had happened the previous night as she found her new clothes scattered all over the room mixed with Miyakawa's. She stretched, and climbed out of the bed, disregarding the fact that she was naked and collected her clothes, one piece at a time and careful to not wake up her lover and was able to dress herself. As Tsukasa made her way to the bedroom door, a voice suddenly said, "You have fun last night?"

Tsukasa turned and saw Miyakawa awake and sitting up, holding the bed sheet over her breasts. Tsukasa looked at her and with a squint on her face replied coldly, "You were pretty good. What time is it?"

Miyakawa looked at the clock on her dresser and replied. "Almost five. You need to get back home?"

Tsukasa rolled her eyes. "Only because I have to."

Miyakawa formed a small smile. "Take the H train to the third stop and take the C train until you reach your stop."

Nodding, Tsukasa turned again and was about to walk out before Miyakawa stopped her again.

"When can I see you again?" She asked with a sensual tone.

Tsukasa stood until she turned again. "Whenever the next rave is."

Miyakawa giggled as the former good girl and shrine maiden walked out the door and proceeded to the train station. As she walked in the morning cold, Tsukasa reached into her pockets to warm her hands until she felt a paper carton of some kind and pulled it out and saw it was a pack of cigarettes. As if her body went on autopilot again, she put the stick in her mouth and lit it and smoked it like a pro, making her question _what else_ she learned last night. She felt no shame, though. She felt pride. She was no longer a baby. She was something else. It didn't matter to her what that was, as long as it would keep her family in line.

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

Arriving home at a little past six in the morning, Tsukasa realized this was the first time she had been home in nearly twenty-four hours. She hadn't eaten much but wasn't hungry at all as she unlocked the front door with the family key hidden under the welcome mat. She knew today was an off day for school so everybody would be home, which made her creep slowly up the stairs towards her bedroom.

As she sneaked past the bathroom she suddenly heard the toilet flush, which made her role her eyes and mutter "damn it."

The door slowly opened and Kagami slowly walked out, her hair in a morning mess and when she saw Tsukasa, she nearly let out a scream upon seeing the black and blue hair and scary wardrobe ensemble. Despite the outer change, Kagami could still see right through it all when she gazed into her younger sister's eyes and she slowly and dreadfully uttered, "Ts…Tsu…Tsukasa?"

Tsukasa didn't say anything to the sister she had loved, cherished, and admired for her whole life. She simply glared and turned away, still heading towards her bedroom. She didn't get far as Kagami took her usual tough role and stopped her by forcing her way in front of her and blocking her path.

"Where the hell were you?! Do you have _any_ idea what you put us through yesterday?! Especially mom?!" Kagami's voice hissed loudly but in a way that it wouldn't wake the family. "Spill it! Where were you?!"

Tsukasa tightened her glare and began to brush past her sister while saying, "None of your damn business, sis."

Kagami didn't know how to react. This new attitude by Tsukasa took the whole family by surprise and everyone thought the dinner episode the previous night was horrifying enough but what would happen when they would see Tsukasa in her new outfit? There would be no way a religious conservative like Tadao would allow one of his daughters to succumb to this lifestyle so Kagami was at a loss.

"If you don't tell me where you were last night, I'm going to tell mom and dad you're home and they'll bust an artery when they see you like this!" Kagami snapped again.

Tsukasa continued to walk and muttered, "Fine, go suckle mom and dad. It's no sweat off my tits."

Rage suddenly ripped through Kagami and she rushed over to shake some sense into her sister, even if she had to do it physically. Kagami grabbed Tsukasa's left wrist but before Kagami could do anything, Tsukasa suddenly spun around with her right palm flattened. It was then that Kagami saw something in Tsukasa's eyes that scared her to death. It was nothing. The absence of life. This was confirmed for her when Tsukasa suddenly and violently slapped Kagami across the face with her right palm, knocking Kagami off balance and Tsukasa suddenly charged and forced her older twin against the wall.

With her teeth showing and her glare across her face, Tsukasa whispered, "Now you listen to me and you listen good, you little goodie-two-shoes bitch! For far too long I've been in your shadow and always was the follower. Those days are over and from now on, you stay out of my way, and I'll try my best to stay out of yours…dear big sister."

Tsukasa let go of Kagami and finally entered her room as the stunned Kagami slouched to her knees. Breathing hard, she felt tears flow from her eyes and she began to cry as she curled into a ball and sat on the floor and continued sobbing after the episode. Never in her life was she afraid of her own sister, but today changed all this.

In Tsukasa's empty room, she reached under her mattress and took out her private diary. With a black pen, she simply wrote in one sentence.

_The bitch is free._


	6. The Family Breaks

CHAPTER 6

THE FAMILY BREAKS

It didn't take long until the Hiiragi family was thrown back into anarchy and confusion when everyone woke up and realized Tsukasa was home. What made the family drama deepen was when Kagami showed herself to her family with a glowing red handprint across her face inflicted by Tsukasa. Tadao called to his youngest daughter to come out of her room and face the consequences for her violent outburst, but she refused. When the family decided to go upstairs and face her, they realized she had locked herself in her room when they tried to open the door.

"Tsukasa, why are you acting like this?" Inori called as Tadao gave up trying to open the door himself. "Why would you hit your sister like that? You're surrounded by people who love you, you know!"

Tsukasa didn't answer. She didn't reply or talk to them ever since she refused to come out of her room. Miki pushed forward and gently knocked on the door and said, "Tsukasa, darling, its mom. Please, none of us are mad, even Kagami said she's not mad. We just want to help you. Whatever's bothering you, please, tell us. We love you, Tsukasa; we know that you know that."

Silence once again was the only thing that emerged from Tsukasa's room. They listened closely but couldn't hear anything, not even the sound of movement inside.

Tadao had had enough and he pushed himself to the front of the crowd and gave her an ultimatum. "Tsukasa, either you come out and talk to us, or don't come out at all for the rest of the day."

Again, silence followed.

Feeling his anger rise for his daughters' sudden wave of misbehavior, Tadao removed himself from the scene. Inori followed as well as Kagami and Miki, leaving only Matsuri behind to try her hand at the unfolding problem. She tapped on the door and said, "I know you can hear me in there Tsukasa so just listen. I'm starting to worry about you. I'm going to be blunt with you and I believe you're acting this way because you're still in pain because you were raped. Am I right?"

Silence.

"I understand the pain you're going through and–" Matsuri began but never got the chance to finish.

Tsukasa's bedroom door suddenly flew open violently and Matsuri nearly let out a scream of terror when she saw her sister. Kagami had described Tsukasa's new wardrobe earlier but never in her strangest nightmare would Matsuri envision a shrine maiden wearing the dark clothing that she was. To make matters worse, Tsukasa had painted her face but only around her eyes with thick black eyeshadow, giving her an even more frightening persona.

"You know what I'm going through, Matsuri?" Tsukasa asked in a dark and heinous tone. "You know what it's like to offer your kindness to a stranger, only to have him throw it back at you by violating your body and making you feel the worst pain and suffer the worst humiliation imaginable? You know what that's like, big sister?"

It was then that Matsuri realized she had dug a hole for herself. All she wanted to do was comfort her sister but recognized she may have made it worse. She tried to explain herself but Tsukasa continued for her.

"Things happened in that shrine on that night that you wouldn't believe. Things you'd only see in your nightmares. Things that would make you puke." Tsukasa hissed again. "I'll give you an example. I was sodomized with the same goddamn broomstick I used to sweep the inside of that place while they laughed and took pictures with their phones."

Matsuri's eyes widened and deepened as she gulped and took a step back. Her stuttering ceased when Tsukasa revealed one fact about her rape that nobody knew and the doctors never told them about. It was a confidentiality protocol but it still made Matsuri's stomach churn and now she could feel pain like never before, but still incomparable to Tsukasa's. Her legs feeling like jelly, Matsuri tried to find the strength to back away but it was as if she was rooted into the floor.

"Tsukasa…I…I…I didn't know…I–" Matsuri continued to struggle.

"Shut up, Matsuri." Tsukasa snapped seriously, still glaring at her sister and her voice became more high-pitched when she hissed again with her look of hate tightening. "You don't know what it's like. You could _never_ know what it's like."

Tsukasa suddenly slammed her bedroom door again and locked it, leaving her stunned sister in the hallway alone. Finally mustering the strength to move again, Matsuri lifted one leg up, turned, and began to walk away. She could feel her bones creak and crack, as if she was frozen and walking again for the first time in years. She struggled down the stairs and rejoined her family in the living room, where they continued to talk about their situation with Tsukasa. When they saw Matsuri enter with such an alarmed look pasted on her face, everyone turned to her and anxiously waited for her to say something.

"I uh…I second dad's idea to call a specialist for Tsukasa. Maybe…possibly…take her some place for awhile like a _special_ hospital." Matsuri murmured.

Miki quickly stood. "No! How many times are we going to go over this?! Tsukasa isn't going anywhere! We're not going to be one of those families that sends one of their own away like they're a faulty product and just forget about them! We are going to keep Tsukasa here and we are going to get through this as a family! Nobody is going anywhere!"

Miki's outburst brought her to tears again and once again, Inori took it upon herself and calmed her mother. The oldest Hiiragi daughter wrapped her arms around her mother and pulled her back onto the sofa as Miki continued to sob with her hands covering her eyes. Inori whispered reassuring sentiments to her mother, which seemed to calm her down as Tadao suddenly stood and walked into the kitchen, which triggered Kagami to follow him.

Tadao poured himself a glass of water and he quickly inhaled it like it was his deprived fresh air. Setting the glass back down, he stood over the sink and gazed out the window and sighed with remorse and growing frustration. Kagami approached him from behind and said, "Dad, are you okay?"

Her father slowly nodded. "Yes, Kagami, I'm fine. I'm just worried about your sister…and your mother."

Kagami nodded and stepped forward again. "I don't think mom is seeing this problem for what it really is. Tsukasa is hurting and she won't let anyone in and if we don't do something, she might end up doing something she'll regret."

The troubled religious man turned to his daughter. "What are you saying, Kagami? Are you also in favor of calling a doctor for Tsukasa?"

To his surprise, Kagami was quick to shake her head. "No, because we don't know if it's that serious yet. We don't even know where Tsukasa was last night or what she was doing. For all we know, she just went clothes shopping and was calling our bluff the whole time."

Tadao reached up and scratched the back of his head. "I can see where you would say that, but Tsukasa was gone all night and that isn't like her at all. I think she spent the night at one of your friends' homes."

Kagami was now puzzled by this mystery. She had to disagree with her father because if that was the case, they would've called and told her. Tsukasa was always docile and followed in Kagami's shadow and didn't have any other friends aside from their usual group. It wasn't like Tsukasa to spontaneously branch out and make her own friends like that, especially so fast that they would crash together. Either way, it was possible that Tsukasa did spend the night with one of the girls from the usual group and the youngest Hiiragi twin asked them to keep it a secret. Knowing she wouldn't be able to pry any information out of Tsukasa any time soon, Kagami decided to contact all her friends and ask around.

Kagami's train of thought was interrupted when her father placed his hands under her chin and guided her face to his. He observed Kagami's face and asked, "Are you okay, Kagami?"

"What? Oh…you mean when Tsukasa hit me?" Kagami said with remorse and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. It scared me more than it hurt me."

Tadao nodded and to Kagami's surprise, he leaned down and kissed her forehead and added, "You know you make me very proud, right Kagami?"

Kagami smiled. "I know, dad. I love you very much. We'll figure this out together."

Tsukasa sat in her room and perched on her open window with one leg hanging out of the house and the other keeping her balance against the wall. Another burning cigarette sat in her mouth as she blew a puff of smoke into the fresh air that carried it away. With a passive but still bitter face, she glanced at the empty spot where the family's shrine once sat until she torched it. Sneering at the spot, she placed the cigarette back in her mouth and slowly removed one of her furry black and purple gloves, revealing a new secret hidden by Tsukasa. She was ready to try a new coping skill to deal with the mental pain she was feeling, but it wasn't going to do her body any favors. Tsukasa exhaled her last drag on her cigarette before she turned the burning stick around and extinguished it on her arm, burning the skin and damaging her arm as her lips quivered from the pain as a little bit of blood emerged from the wound.

"At least I have control of this pain," Tsukasa said to herself before she flicked the cigarette out her window and she retreated into her room.

The troubled Hiiragi twin reached under her mattress and once again began to write in her private diary. With quick and angry movements, she squinted at the words she wrote and could feel the burning emotions of extreme hate rise within her small body. This time, it wasn't against Ryosuke or his accomplices. This message of abhorrence was directed at each and every member of her own family. In its details showed the inside of a tortured soul who was filled with so much anger, yet somehow lost the motivation and the will to open to her family about it. Instead, the fantasies of their deaths filled the pages of her diary.

Tsukasa heard the conversations about her pick up again amongst the people downstairs she resented, prompting her to rip a blank page out of the diary and write a message for them. It was short and simple but cruel and grotesque in its words as Tsukasa hid the diary, placed the message for it to be found eventually, and she planned her escape. Tying her bed sheet to the edge of the window and using it as a rope, Tsukasa climbed out and knowing the area was clear, she began her trek back to her new friend.

With her eyes cast downward, Tsukasa navigated the city streets and walked the familiar path towards The Black Window. Having to walk past a few otaku stores like before, she approached one just as the doors opened and to Tsukasa's frustration, a familiar face walked out. Carrying a bagful of new manga, Patricia Martin turned and nearly collided with Tsukasa but the youngest Hiiragi twin was able to steer clear, or so she thought.

"Tsukasa? Tsukasa Hiiragi? Is that you?" She asked with her usual high-pitched voice only with more surprise.

Tsukasa stopped and slowly turned her head, revealing her painted eyes and paler complexion around the black eyeshadow with a piercing glare on her face. "What do you want?"

Oblivious to Tsukasa's anger and cold reply, Patty-chan was amazed by Tsukasa's new look. "You…you look amazing Tsukasa-san! That is hands down the best gothic ensemble I've ever seen! And I always thought you were the soothing character type with maybe a little bit of moe in you! Where did you get this outfit?!"

Tsukasa wasn't in any mood for the otaku's games and turned as she began to walk away again. It only strengthened Tsukasa's growing frustration when her so-called foreign friend began to follow her and continue to flatter her over her wardrobe. She would spout hysteria over how good Tsukasa looked in it and continued to ask if she was trying to cosplay as anyone. Patty-chan also added that if Tsukasa grew her hair out a little more and divided it into two pigtails and allowed her to find the appropriate wardrobe, Tsukasa would look like Harley Quinn from the video game _Batman Arkham City: Harley Quinn's Revenge_.

"I said leave me alone goddamn it!" Tsukasa finally turned and screeched at the blonde-haired otaku, making her freeze and stand in statue formation as the troubled Hiiragi twin turned and continued walking. Patty-chan began to scratch her head and wonder what was wrong with Tsukasa as she watched her friend continue to walk down the street.

Patty-chan came to the naïve conclusion that Tsukasa was still a closet-case cosplay enthusiast and didn't want anybody to know. She smiled to herself and promised to do something nice for Tsukasa when she would see her in school the next day. Little did she know that she was digging a grave for both her and Tsukasa for the next time they would see each other.

Tsukasa arrived at The Black Window later that day and when she entered, her familiar bedmate in Yuka Miyakawa looked up from her front desk and her face instantly lit up. Laughing happily, Miyakawa approached Tsukasa and placed her hands on her hips and pulled her close into a surprise kiss, which Tsukasa allowed but didn't reciprocate and quickly pulled away.

"Is everything okay, Tsukasa?" She asked as the Hiiragi twin began to unwrap her red and black scarf around her thin neck.

"Yeah, sort of. I just needed to get out of the house for awhile. I was also wondering…what happened last night?" Tsukasa said sternly and removed her scarf, revealing several black, blue, and red marks across her neck in the shape of Miyakawa's lips.

Miyakawa smiled and giggled mischievously. "A lot. I never knew you had such an inner freak, Tsukasa. I could barely keep up with you and when it was over, I was wiped out but you were still ready to go more rounds."

Tsukasa's eyes squinted and she couldn't help but shudder as she replied. "I never thought I would do things like that. If my parents found out…I could never go home."

"Are you ashamed? Or do you have any regrets?" Miyakawa asked.

Tsukasa searched her inner being and was able to arrive to a definite answer in such a short time. "No. I'm not ashamed and I have no regrets. I'm getting sick and tired of living with those religious freaks. Before I burned down the shrine, I overheard my biggest sister talking on the phone to a friend and she said it was her religious duty to forgive those pigs."

Miyakawa rolled her eyes and groaned. "But hey, if they become too much and want to get out of there as quick as possible, you can always move in with me."

Tsukasa was reluctant. "I don't know, I'll think about it. I just need a place to hang out for a few hours."

Back at the Hiiragi household, Kagami sat at the bottom of the stairs with the phone to her ear and waited for the dial tones on the other end to cease. She readied herself for a conversation when a girl's voice on the other side answered and opened with, "Takara residence."

"Hey Miyuki, its Kagami." The oldest Hiiragi twin said.

"Hello Kagami-san, how do you do?" Miyuki responded with her naturally sensitive and polite demeanor.

"I'm fine; I was just hoping you could help me with something." Kagami continued and cleared her throat. "Tsukasa has been acting very strange since the incident and I was hoping you had advice for us. We don't know much about this kind of thing and I know you want to be a doctor and I know this isn't exactly your desired field, but anything you could offer at all would help."

Miyuki cleared her throat on the other side and began her reply. "I understand how difficult it must be, Kagami-san. Tsukasa-san went through a very horrific experience and it will take a long time to heal, but I actually do know a few things about this issue. I recently read a book entitled _Guilt And Shame_ and it was written by an American professor of psychology named Dr. June Tangney. In it, she described all the possible ways a rape victim would deal with their trauma and it was pinpointed that self-blame is the biggest consequence psychologically speaking. It is possible that Tsukasa-san blames herself for what happened and her behavior is being shaped by that."

Kagami wrote her friend's responses on a piece of paper and replied. "Okay because Tsukasa has been acting very hostile, which is very out of character for her. Is that part of self-blame?"

"I believe it is. In the book, Dr. Tangney added that self-blame can manifest itself into countless symptoms with anger and aggression towards everyone being one of them. On more extreme levels, rape victims who suffer self-blame and show aggression can also display symptoms such as lack of compassion, becoming very resistant to seek help, fits of rage, and pushing away the people that try and become closer to them."

The oldest Hiiragi twin continued to jot down Miyuki's phone lecture. "Tsukasa has been pushing us all away and even disappeared yesterday morning and didn't show up until early this morning."

"My, that must have been utterly frightening." Miyuki added with concern.

"It was, so this self-blame turning into anger thing…what could it lead to in the long run?" Kagami asked and dreaded the response.

Miyuki cleared her throat again. "If not properly treated, it could lead to dire consequences such as permanent promiscuity, substance abuse, self-mutilation, eating disorders, violent outbursts and even suicidal and/or homicidal thoughts and tendencies."

Kagami shivered as Miyuki informed her of these and she continued to write them down. "One more thing, Miyuki. Ever since it happened, Tsukasa kept asking if she's a baby and the other night, she had a _bit _of a meltdown and kept shouting that she's not a baby and doesn't need anyone. Does that mean anything to you?"

Miyuki hummed with intrigue as she thought and eventually gave a response. "It could be that Tsukasa-san blames herself for what happened like I said and because of it, she sees herself as weak and is undergoing a dramatic psychological change to try and fix that. Maybe her meltdown was her way of saying that she doesn't want to be seen as the weakest and youngest of the family anymore and is seeking a more assertive personality."

Kagami nodded instinctively as she heard this and it began to make more sense to her. "Okay, I think I understand now, but my mother has been a little hysterical since the incident and I should probably ask for her sake…how do we help Tsukasa if she won't let anyone in and every time we try, there's always a fight."

"A very good question, Kagami-san." Miyuki said and added, "The truth is that while Tsukasa is blaming herself for this, I'm afraid you cannot do much for her on your own. It has to be Tsukasa-san who must decide that she wants help because only she can let people into her mind. If I may be so bold, Kagami-san, upon reading Dr. Tangney's book, I believe the more you try and help Tsukasa-san on your own, the more you will push her away. Tsukasa-san must ultimately decide she wants help and when that time comes, she'll come to you."

Kagami was silent as she tried to take in everything Miyuki had told her. Kagami still loved Tsukasa dearly and wanted to do everything in her power to help and now her latest advice was to disconnect with her sister until she would come to them. Based on what happened this morning, Kagami had no idea how long that would take but she was beginning to think it would be awhile.

"Thank you, Miyuki. I knew I would be able to count on you for help." Kagami said through a fake voice of gratitude as she shook her head and rubbed her eyes.

Miyuki bought the act and replied, "You're very welcome, Kagami-san. My family's thoughts and prayers are still with you and your family."

Their conversation ended there and when Kagami hung up the phone, she sighed loudly with mounting agony for her sister. Reading over her notes again, she decided she had no options left but to take Miyuki's advice and stood to face her sister again. She walked up the stairs and knocked on Tsukasa's door again, only to be answered by silence.

"Tsukasa, listen, I just want you to know that I'm no longer going to try and help you." Kagami said to the closed door. "I know you're hurting and you probably blame yourself for what happened to you but ultimately, you need to come to us for help. When you decide you want to change, you know where to find us."

Kagami placed her ear to the door and tried to listen for any signs of life but couldn't hear anything at all. She sighed again and began to walk away when a thought suddenly struck her. Miyuki had mentioned that rape victims who self-blame have a tendency to have suicidal thoughts. _Oh god, what if she's hurting herself in there?_ Asking herself this question was enough to make Kagami quickly return to her sister's door and try with all her might to open it.

To her surprise when she used every muscle in her body to open the door, she realized it was now unlocked when it flew open and she lost her balance and fell into Tsukasa's room. Quickly springing to her feet, Kagami looked around and before she noticed Tsukasa was gone, she noticed the sudden change to her room. All her get well gifts were gone, as well as all remnants of pre-rape Tsukasa including pictures of cute animals and motivational posters. The only thing left in her room was a bare mattress and it was then that Kagami noticed the bed sheet tied to the window.

She quickly rushed over to the open window and looked down to see the bed sheet dangling and acting like a rope and it was clear Tsukasa was gone again. Kagami turned but before she could announce Tsukasa's departure to the family, she noticed a folded piece of paper sitting on her bed, which was the note the youngest Hiiragi twin left to be found. Kagami took it and when she read the simple four word sentence, she trembled and felt sick. She instantly dropped it and called to her family as she ran out of her sister's room and the note landed on the floor and opened, revealing its message.

_You will all burn._

Déjà vu repeated itself for the Hiiragi family when Tsukasa didn't return home that night again. Instead, she spent the night with Yuka Miyakawa and indulged herself in yet another night of debauchery. Without any moral sense of right or wrong anymore, Tsukasa woke the next morning and for no particular reason at all, decided to board the train that would take her to school. She didn't even think about the previous day or care about what she was doing to her family, especially her mother. To make the prelude to her day even more interesting, Tsukasa disregarded her school's dress code and was wearing her dark outfit, earning a few curious and even disgusting looks from others on the train. She wasn't seen as a traditional Japanese schoolgirl anymore who wanted to do her best and make her family proud. It was when she felt those looks across her body that made her feel pride in herself for the first time since she was violated. She knew the looks from her classmates would only be more perplexing.

"So Kagami called you yesterday and asked all that stuff, eh?" Konata said to Miyuki as they sat in homeroom together while the rest of their classmates filed in.

With her hand on her cheek, Miyuki replied, "She did indeed. I'm worried about her and her family, though. I'm also worried about Tsukasa-san. Kagami-san sounded very worried about her."

"Kagamin is one tough cookie. If anyone will pull that family out of that bad situation, it'll be her." Konata replied with ecstatic confidence. "You know how it goes when you're part of a bigger cast. The bigger the cast is, the more heroes will rise from it. But then again you also get that kind of cast where there's only one hero and they don't even know they're the strong one until the climax."

Miyuki smiled. "I'm sorry Konata-san, but I don't think I follow."

Konata formed a fist and softly pounded it into her other opened palm. "That's it. I say we band our whole group together and become the support that Tsukasa already knows she has. When she truly sees how dedicated we are to her, there's no doubt things will turn around."

A new and bitter voice suddenly broke the classroom harmony. "How touching."

The classroom attention was suddenly redirected at the doorway where the voice came from and no one could've prepared the students for what they would see. Tsukasa stood before them in the open doorway with her arms crossed, her back leaning up against the doorframe and one leg propped up on the door. What horrified the class more than her anti-establishment wardrobe was the fact that she wasn't wearing any underwear as her skirt slid up her leg propped up on the doorway. After several people quickly turned away in embarrassment and some of the other girls in the class tried to signal to Tsukasa about her wardrobe malfunction, she dropped her leg and walked into the class, a deadly scorn burned onto her face.

When Tsukasa sat in her seat, she stuck out like a sore thumb in her wardrobe of anger surrounded by her classmates in their school uniforms. Deep and disturbing silence fell upon the classroom and no one wanted to open their mouths to break it for fear of saying the wrong thing. No one would admit it, but they were officially freaked by the awkward scenario that waltzed into the room.

"So…you're looking better." Konata finally announced, shattering the silence and making the classmates lean forward for what would come next.

When Tsukasa opened her mouth, what came out shook the classroom more than Japan's most powerful earthquake. "Your mother is dead, buried, and rotting. What do you know?"

Konata's eyes shot open again as Miyuki quickly covered her mouth with her hands, also with an expression of horror. Despite the fact that Kanata passed when her daughter was very young, Konata still felt as if a knife was driven into her petite body and her heart was ripped out. The blue-haired otaku felt tears form in her eyes as she began to shuffle away in her desk and closer to Miyuki, who wrapped her arm around Konata. The emotional gap between Tsukasa and the rest of the world deepened and as the haunting quiet settled back into the classroom, it was broken again when Patricia Martin burst into the room holding a folder.

Upon seeing Tsukasa wearing her wardrobe again, her expression exploded with jubilant enthusiasm. "Ah, perfect! I knew you were a passionate cosplayer underneath that droopy exterior! I applaud you, Tsukasa-san for wearing it to school!"

Patty-chan invited herself over and pulled an empty chair over to Tsukasa and opened her folder. Several pieces of paper sat inside, each one with drawings on them of different costume designs. Tsukasa squinted at the drawings and was instantly annoyed by where this was going and once again, she felt animalistic anger rising inside her.

"I think you would look great in some of these outfits, Tsukasa-san! As you can see with this first one, this has more of a little sister feeling to it but with just enough moe in it to add to your natural personality! It's you all over!" Patty-chan exhaled and struggled to keep up with her excitement. As she continued to talk, Miyuki and Konata could see Tsukasa begin to hyperventilate and grit her teeth, believing that Patty-chan was about to open Pandora's Box.

By the time Patty-chan got to the fourth drawing, Tsukasa couldn't take it anymore as the foreign student continued to ramble and presented the next wardrobe desing. "I can see you're already vested in gothic ensembles so I don't have to explain to you that this one is—"

Tsukasa raised her boot under her desk and with angry force, kicked the chair out from under Patty-chan's body and she fell downward. Her lower jaw struck Tsukasa's desk first, followed by her tongue, which was crushed by the teeth in her upper jaw, drawing blood. Before Patty-chan could fall to the floor, Tsukasa grabbed her by the hair and with as much force as she could, slammed Patty-chan's face into the desk and broke her nose instantly, making more blood flow from her nostrils as she collapsed to the floor and immediately retracted into the fetal position while holding her nose and mouth.

The violent outburst cleared the students of their desks and they backed up against the wall with fear as Tsukasa stood over Patty-chan. Hoping the fight was over, they were soon proven wrong when the youngest Hiiragi twin grasped the same chair Patty-chan was sitting in only a few seconds ago and lifted it above her head by the legs. With quick and violent force, Tsukasa swung the chair downward and beat Patty-chan over her pained body. Not once, not twice, but after twelve consecutive swings of the chair across her body, Tsukasa breathed hard from the labor and stood above Patty-chan as she whimpered and cried in the fetal position.

"Patty-chan…shut your mouth for one goddamn second for once and listen. You have always annoyed me but since you had become friends with my sister and the others, I endured it." Tsukasa growled with hate in her deep voice. "But all of that is now old shit. You, just like everyone else, are nothing to me. If I hear your worthless and tedious voice one more time, this chair will become your new boyfriend. With all that said…I respectfully refuse to buy into your otaku bullshit."

Tsukasa finished her message of hate by filling her mouth with as much saliva as she could and when it was ready, she spat the massive wad and it landed on Patty-chan's trembling torso as she continued to bleed from her mouth and nose. Standing in complete and utter shock of what happened, the school bell rang and simultaneously, Miss Kuroi slid the door open and entered.

"Good morning class, I hope—" she began but halted her words when she saw the bloody mess on her floor. Tsukasa still stood above Patty-chan with the chair still in her hands and when the teacher was locked on the Hiiragi twin, she looked up from her latest victim and gave Kuroi a scowl that made her blood run cold. "Ts…Tsukasa-san? What in the…how did…where…"

"You're speechless, Miss Kuroi. I bet your boyfriend _loves_ this part of you. Oh wait, that's right, you're alone." Tsukasa spat as she dropped the chair and one of the legs landed on Patty-chan, making her curl tighter and cry louder as the class tried to press themselves further away from the situation.

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The Hiiragi family was a united front when they arrived at Ryōō High School after they received a phone call that Tsukasa was there. What they weren't expecting was to also hear that Tsukasa was in serious trouble and sitting in the principal's office and that one student was in the nurse's office after an altercation with her. Upon hearing the latter, Miki Hiiragi could only ask, "Are we still talking about _our_ Tsukasa Hiiragi?"

When they arrived at the principal's office and entered, the first thing they saw was Tsukasa with her arms crossed across her chest and it was her wardrobe that nearly made Miki faint on the spot. Tadao stared wide-eyed at his daughter while Kagami, Inori, and Matsuri wanted to look but almost felt too ashamed to do so.

"Hiiragi-sama, please sit down." The elderly principal said. "As you can see we've had quite an episode with your daughter today."

Tadao lowered his head in shame as he sat. "I understand that my daughter was physical with another student, sir."

The elderly man with salt-and-pepper hair closed his eyes and slowly shook his head. "That would be an understatement, Hiiragi-sama. Our school nurse has already confirmed the poor girl's nose is broken and she may need stitches on her tongue. Unfortunately, I spoke with her parents back in America and they wish to pursue assault charges."

And Tadao thought Kagami's early quarrel with Hiyori Tamura was bad. "I guess it goes without saying that Tsukasa is suspended, too, correct?"

The principal's look deepened with regret. "Hiiragi-sama, brace yourself for this. I know your family is well-respected in our community and your spiritual services are renowned to many of us here. In addition to that, I once again cannot describe in words my sympathy and condolences to what happened to Tsukasa and your family. However, with all that aside, I'm afraid our school takes these issues _very_ seriously and the board has already made their decision. Tsukasa Hiiragi as of now is expelled indefinitely from Ryōō High School."

It felt as if a massive arm reached through the ribcages of every Hiiragi family member and tore their hearts out. All except for Tsukasa, who remained emotionless the whole time with her permanent scowl tattooed on her face. Tadao pleaded with the school's principal to reconsider but his foot remained planted on this issue. Their meeting eventually concluded and they stood and bowed to each other.

Miki wiped away her tears as they walked out of the office and Tsukasa took the lead, anxious to get out of there as quickly as possible. She was stopped when she felt the strong grasp of her father's hand wrap around the back of her neck and she could tell it was taking all his willpower not to strangle her on the spot.

He commanded his daughter, "We're going to the nurse's office right now and you_ will_ apologize to your friend."

Tsukasa didn't argue and actually obeyed for once. Not because she wanted to apologize to Patty-chan, but because she had something _else_ in mind she wanted to say to her. Before Tsukasa came to school, she and Yuka Miyakawa were blasting rock, heavy metal, and grunge music across the store and one song from a former all female metal band called "L7" from America caught her attention. Though she wasn't fluent in English, Tsukasa could still feel the anger in the lyrics and memorized one line in the foreign language so she could repeat it to taunt her former friend as she was the only one of the group who was fluent in English.

When they entered the nurse's office and saw Patty-chan on one of the beds, it nearly made the whole Hiiragi family sick. Large bruises were on her face, her lips were fat and bruised, a large cast was stuck on her nose, and massive black and blue gashes and red bruises painted her arms and legs. Minami Iwasaki was sweeping the floor and when she saw Tsukasa, she held the broomstick in front of her body like a weapon, which only angered Tsukasa. Unknown to Minami, when Tsukasa looked at the broom, she could only see an instrument of pain and humiliation and it triggered her to exchange a threatening look with the minty green-haired girl.

Tsukasa turned back to Patty-chan, who looked away and trembled more and more with each step the former shrine maiden took. Bending closer to Patty-chan's ear, Tsukasa formed a sadistic grin before she whispered her "apology," which was the lyrical line from the song.

"You've made my…_shitlist_." She whispered in English, sending Patty-chan into a full-blown meltdown of panic as she screamed and tried to get away from the youngest Hiiragi twin.

No one in the room aside from Patty-chan knew what Tsukasa said but whatever it was, they knew it was no apology. Tadao had enough and grabbed his youngest daughter by the shoulder and dragged her out of the nurse's office but not before Tsukasa and Patty-chan exchanged one more look with each other and Tsukasa grinned and winked at Patty-chan, making her meltdown worse as Miniami tried to calm her down.

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Tadao wasted his breath that night. With Tsukasa sitting on the same spot as Kagami only a few days ago, he vocalized his anger, only this time it was worse. Kagami's punishment would be over in a few more days. Tsukasa on the other hand was now out of an education, a serious problem for someone her age in Japan. The second and biggest difference between Kagami and Tsukasa was that Kagami heeded her father's words and was looking forward to getting back to school. Tsukasa on the other hand had given up hope.

"And you better explain this right now!" Tadao added as he dropped the familiar note Tsukasa wrote for Kagami to find in front of her.

Tsukasa gazed at the note and eventually shifted her cold eyes back to her father. "Call it a hunch."

"If that's a threat, Tsukasa, I'm going to march straight into that kitchen, pick up the phone, and have you removed from our house and by force if necessary!" Tadao added. "I will not let this change in you hurt the rest of your family! I just want to know one more thing Tsukasa! What now? You have no friends, your entire family is afraid both _for_ you and _of_ you, and now you've been expelled from school! So tell me, what now?"

Tsukasa still sat on the sofa with no emotion and paused for awhile until she opened her mouth and answered softly. "I don't know what's next. I have no idea and yet…I'm _not_ afraid at all. I'm not a baby anymore."

Tadao squinted at his youngest daughter. "You're right. You're not a baby. Since that's the case, would you mind explaining to me why you won't stop acting like one?"

Life suddenly reappeared in Tsukasa's eyes but it was in the form of a hateful frown, a look she never gave her father before. It took him by surprise and it angered him once again, thus prompting him to tell Tsukasa to go to her room and not come out for the rest of the night. He had enough drama for today…but unfortunately the night was still young and ripe for it. Tsukasa stood and walked out of the living room and had to pass through the kitchen to get to her room.

Miki, Kagami, Inori, and Matsuri sat at the dinner table as Tsukasa graced past them without even glancing at them through her angry scowl. As Tsukasa walked in her frightening wardrobe ensemble, Miki knew that was her baby girl in those clothes and on that downward spiral. She knew her daughter was hurting and as a mother, she wanted to do everything in her power to help her, but she couldn't. Tsukasa wouldn't let them in and every time they tried, she pushed them away and it resulted in more trouble. Even though it wasn't her fault, Miki felt as if she had failed Tsukasa.

Tears came to the mother's eyes and she covered her face again as Tsukasa's boots thumped against the wooden floor. Matsuri Hiiragi, the middle child and traditionally the most masculine and bullheaded of the family, was sick and tired of watching her mother cry. Feeling her anger boil and eventually burst inside her mind, Matsuri stood.

"You've got a lot of nerve, Tsukasa!" Matsuri yelled, grabbing everyone's attention and halting Tsukasa in her steps. "All we've tried to do was help you and get you through this! We cannot express how sorry we are that that happened to you, but damn it, stop taking it out on us! Look at what you're doing to mom!"

Tsukasa slowly turned her head and leered at Matsuri while disregarding her own mother's grief. "Eat me."

As Tsukasa turned and began to walk away again, Matsuri took several steps towards her little sister and continued her rant. "I don't think you appreciate the full depth of your problem, Tsukasa! You've been expelled and since your friend's parents want to pursue charges, that means you could go to jail! Do you know what that would do to dad's name in our community?! To have a spiritual leader's daughter go to jail over assault in addition to her running away doing God knows what and coming home dressed the way you are now?! You're being so selfish, Tsukasa!"

"What do you care, Matsuri? You're not me so this isn't your burden to carry." Tsukasa snapped back as she stopped and turned her head again. She turned around completely and faced Matsuri before adding, "I don't know how many times I have to keep saying this to your worthless ass, but you don't know what I feel!"

"That's right, I don't know what you feel! I don't know what it feels like to cause turmoil for the ones you love and act like a _baby_!" Matsuri spouted.

It all changed at Matsuri's last sentence and word. Tsukasa's frown was swept away and replaced with a short-lasting look of shock. It only took a few seconds until Tsukasa scrunched her face into a heinous scowl and nobody expected Tsukasa to do what she did next. Gritting her teeth and clenching her fists, she screamed and charged forward and collided with Matsuri with all her might. Despite her smaller stature, her tackle was strong enough to throw both her and Matsuri onto the dining room table and they joined together as they rolled off the other side of the table and caused more damage to the house.

Miki, Kagami, and Inori shot out of their chairs and backed away from the fight as Tsukasa kept a tight grip on her sister's shirt and was able to land a punch on Matsuri's cheek. Matsuri quickly countered by smacking Tsukasa across the face, which only intensified the fight. Kagami and Inori rushed in as Tadao also shot into the kitchen where the drama unfolded and they tried to pull the two girls apart.

"You bitch!" Tsukasa yelled again as she felt herself becoming restrained by Kagami but she continued to thrash. Instinctively, Tsukasa threw her bodyweight backward, throwing Kagami off balance and Tsukasa landed on top of her fraternal twin and wedged loose of her grip.

Inori pulled Matsuri up but Matsuri's time on her feet was short-lived when Tsukasa plowed into her again and the fighting intensified as the screams from everyone in the family grew louder. Matsuri was able to gain a quick upper hand and pushed Tsukasa off and the youngest Hiiragi twin backed with tremendous force into the dining table, knocking it over and a candle enclosed in a glass case fell off and shattered on the floor. Matsuri grabbed Tsukasa again in an effort to subdue her until Tsukasa spat at her older sister, distracting her long enough to wedge free again.

Tsukasa grabbed Matsuri by her auburn-colored hair and was able to push her into a china cabinet leaning up against a wall, breaking some of the glass panels and Tsukasa tried to follow it up with another punch. Matsuri saw the clenched fist coming for her face but ducked at the last second and Tsukasa's fist struck another glass panel in the china cabinet, shattering it and cutting Tsukasa's skin.

She quickly retracted it in pain as Matsuri grabbed onto Tsukasa again, only to be elbowed by her little sister in the eye socket, knocking Matsuri back and allowing Tsukasa to take advantage. She reached behind the china cabinet and with all her might, pushed the structure of glass and wood forward and gravity took care of the rest as the furniture fell. It struck the floor with a massive crash and every piece of china and glass inside shattered and Tsukasa jumped on top of the fallen cabinet and sprung at Matsuri again, grabbing her and tackling her again and knocking over more chairs in the process.

Miki retreated with the phone in hand and sat in the corner of the kitchen crying hysterically and screaming as her lungs ran dry as the shouts, verbal and physical assaults continued. Reluctantly, she stared at the phone and finally dialed the phone number she was praying she never had to call. After it rang once, a voice on the other side answered, "Police department, how may I help you?"

Tadao tried to push himself into the middle of the fight and separate his daughters while Kagami helped. The twin-tailed Hiiragi twin tried a desperate measure as the screaming in the household continued by grabbing Tsukasa by her black hair, which instantly proved to be a mistake. Tsukasa swung around with all her might and punched her older sister in the nose, drawing blood as he let go and fell back, holding her nose.

Matsuri, now seeing that Tsukasa wasn't going to stop, got up and tried to run away and made it as far as the living room entrance until the youngest Hiiragi twin tackled her again and the two connected bodies fell on top of another table, breaking it and sending more debris flying as Inori and Tadao followed and continued to try and stop them as they screamed and cried hysterically for Tsukasa to stop. Her only response to her oldest sister and father was to fight harder and it continued to last for three more agonizing minutes.

The fighting continued even when they heard sirens outside accompanied by red and blue flashing lights. It was followed by two men banging on the front door of the Hiiragi household, which Miki quickly scrambled over to, still in tears and opened it. Two policemen rushed into the house and quickly turned to their right where the fighting persisted. They saw Tsukasa was the instigator in it and they targeted her first and pulled her off of Matsuri, who had blood dripping from her nose and mouth at this point. Inori and Tadao also had scratches and marks of their own from the youngest Hiiragi twin and now the only noise left was Tsukasa's never ending fit as the policeman pinned her to the floor.

Kagami slowly entered with a bloodied tissue over her nose and tears in her eyes over that it had to come to this. Miki held Kagami close as she too continued crying while Tadao and Inori helped Matsuri to her feet and Tsukasa continued to thrash and kick under the heavy weight of the police officer. She stopped completely when she felt the metal pinch of handcuffs binding her hands behind her back.


	7. The Dreams

CHAPTER 7

THE DREAMS

She decided to take a break from the never ending sweeping. Still picking up the pieces of the shattered china, Mike propped her broom against the wall and slowly walked into the living room, only to be faced with another mess in the shattered wooden table where Tsukasa had tackled Matsuri the previous night. Still feeling her eyes burn from her tears, she slowly sat down on the same sofa where both Kagami and Tsukasa had been scolded by their father for their irregular behaviors. The home was quiet with Kagami and Inori out of the house together while Matsuri accompanied her father to the other shrines.

The only sound that accompanied the hurting woman was the ticking clock in the living room, where the family always watched television together. Slowly turning to her right, Miki eyed an end table with a lamp sitting on top of it. She opened the single drawer of the table and retrieved a thick photo album with _Our Family_ engraved on the hardcover in gold. Placing the thick book on her lap, only one thought could come to mind.

_My youngest daughter is sitting in a jail cell, and this is all I have left of her._ It was this one single thought that brought more tears to Miki's eyes as she opened it to the first wave of pictures, chronicling her wedding to Tadao. She immediately bypassed them and eventually came to when she was in a hospital bed and held a newly born Inori in her arms. She had such a happy smile on her face as Tadao also had his joyful expression in the shot. The next few pictures showed Inori playing around the house and at the shrine, followed by one photo of the young daughter kissing her mother's pregnant belly. Another photo showed them in the hospital again with Matsuri wrapped in her blanket and crying as Inori was also in the frame and hugging her mother around her neck with Tadao also with his hand on Matsuri's head. Turning the page again, Miki felt a faint smile tug at the corners of her mouth when she saw Inori holding baby Matsuri, each child with happy expressions on their faces.

Flipping through more pages, Miki finally came to the one photo that made her cry full board. In the hospital bed for the third time, she held Kagami in one arm and Tsukasa in the other. Kagami had a serious look on her face for a baby, while Tsukasa continued to claw at the air and cry while Miki smiled. The next photo showed Inori holding Kagami in her lap, while Matsuri held Tsukasa in hers.

Paging through the album only made things worse for Miki's emotions when she came to a section of the book dedicated to Tsukasa only. By the time Tsukasa was five years old, she would never leave Miki's side. One photo taken by Tadao showed the infant Tsukasa clinging to her mother's apron as she washed dishes in the kitchen sink. The photo sitting next to it showed Tsukasa in the kitchen again as her mother cooked and the young girl had her coloring books and crayons scattered all across the floor while she played. A third memorable photo showed Tsukasa, still at a short height and young age, holding a frying pan up to her mother while she sat on the floor, while Miki bent down to take it with a happy smile on her face. Another showed Tsukasa's growing interest in cooking as she stood on a footstool, overlooking the kitchen counter as she prepared some vegetables for her mother to chop.

The timeline of photos continued and Miki's tears only increased when she came across a photo of her with Tsukasa when she was ten years old and they had arrived home from the mall. Both Miki and Tsukasa were wearing the same dresses with floral arrangements and stripe patterns. They were the mother daughter dresses Miki wanted to take Tsukasa and get another pair of before her meltdown and eventual collapse.

A teardrop landed on the page when the Hiiragi mother came to a copy of the photo Tsukasa smashed when she had her meltdown at the dinner table. Tsukasa and Kagami stood side-by-side with Miki and Tadao behind them, the Hiiragi twins giving the peace sign with jubilant smiles as cherry blossom pedals fell around them. Their high school stood tall and proud behind them, waiting for the Hiiragi twins to grace their hallways.

Miki closed the photo album and hugged the book to her chest, hoping it would sink into her skin and heal the massive wound across her heart. She curled into a ball on the sofa and continued to sob and the continuous emotional demise for her and the family sapped her strength. Her eyelids felt heavy and it didn't take long until she was completely asleep. The only time her pain would go away would be in her dreams and it was then that Miki prayed that she would never have to wake up again as her memories began to replay for her again.

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_"You're almost there, Hiiragi-san!" The doctor's voice called as Miki felt the pain engulf her being as she struggled to push the miniature human out of her body and sweat doused her body. "I can see your baby's head coming! Just keep pushing! You're doing great!"_

_ Miki screamed as the convulsions in her body worsened and she squeezed her husband's hand with all her might. Her soaked body rested on the hospital bed as she trembled in pain and continued to vocalize her discomfort. Tadao continued to hold his wife's hand and embrace her head with loving care. He whispered affectionate words to her and that their next daughter was going to be beautiful, just like her._

_ "One more push will do it!" The doctor exclaimed as nurses rushed in with towels and a blanket that would become her baby blanket._

_ Miki screamed one more time and her cry was suddenly replaced by the howl of a newborn baby. With the nurses quickly wrapping blankets around the new life, the doctor severed the umbilical cord and lifted the crying baby up as Tadao slowly looked over while Miki continued to breathe._

_ "Congratulations, sir. Here's your daughter." The doctor announced happily and carefully handed the newborn girl to Tadao, who slowly took her and held her close to his chest._

_ As the baby continued to cry, he saw the small patch of purple hair on her head and smiled. "Hello Kagami," he said lovingly. "I'm your daddy. You look just as you did in my dreams."_

_ Still breathing hard, Miki inhaled an exhausted breath and said, "Let me see her."_

_ Tadao stepped over to his hurting wife as the nurses prepped her for the inevitable round two. Kagami continued to cry and swat at the air as Miki placed her quivering hand on the newborn's head and stroked it gently. She wanted her meeting with her newborn daughter to last longer but the convulsions rebooted, starting the birth of the next Hiiragi fraternal twin. Tadao stepped back as the nurses rushed in to dab the sweat off Miki's head and it was then that Kagami suddenly stopped crying. He looked down at his newborn daughter and saw the most amazing thing. Kagami opened her eyes for the first time and was looking straight at him as he held her. She suddenly lifted her arms up towards her father and whimpered. Tadao moved his hand towards Kagami's outstretched arms and her little fingers wrapped around his index finger._

_ Kagami then smiled and began laughing happily, earning a smile from Tadao and he felt tears form in his eyes as he heard his newborn daughter's laugh for the first time. It was then that Tadao had to allow the nurses to take his daughter for the moment so she could be properly cleaned and he turned back to comfort his wife as Miki felt the second and last human body inside her shift and ready itself to emerge._

_ The grueling process started all over again for Miki and she began to screech as the pain worsened while the doctor positioned himself in front of her exposed womanhood. His surgical mask still wrapped around his mouth, he slid a fresh pair of gloves on his hands and waited as Miki continued to push. She gritted her teeth and thrust her head back as this baby's head began to crown, thus jolting more pain into Miki's body._

_ Giving birth to twins was without a doubt the hardest thing Miki ever had to do in her life, yet through her pain, all she could feel was joy over the new additions to the family. With Inori and Matsuri waiting outside, she couldn't wait to bring them in and introduce them to their new sisters. Before she knew it, it too was over and as she rested her soaked body back on the bed, she could hear a new set of lungs announcing itself to the world. Feeling relief rush her body, Miki laid perfectly still on her bed as the nurses soaked up the sweat across her head while the second twin was rushed away to be cleaned._

_ "W…welcome…to our…family…Tsukasa Hiiragi. May…your life be…blessed." Miki whispered to herself with love and a smile on her face. The crying continued as she felt her eyelids become heavy after fifteen hours of labor and giving birth to twins. When her eyelids closed, Miki fell asleep as the commotion around her continued._

_ Her slumber was short-lived when the familiar sound of her newborn baby crying was heard. An hour after falling asleep, Miki awoke to the same scene she had left and saw her husband gently bouncing the youngest twin in his arms. "Tadao, dear?" She asked._

_ Tadao turned to her with an anxious face. "It's Tsukasa. She hasn't stopped crying since she came out."_

_ Miki couldn't help but give a weak smile and slowly pulled herself up. She outstretched her arms and said, "Give her to me, dear."_

_ Tadao complied and gently handed the crying Tsukasa to his wife, who proceeded to rock her gently. She hummed a soothing lullaby for her daughter while rocking her and whispered, "There, there, my beautiful sweet Tsukasa. Mommy's here now."_

_ As if it was a sign, the crying Tsukasa suddenly and abruptly ceased her tantrum and she slowly opened her violet eyes. Her droopy eyes drifted around the room until they met her mother's, and everything changed instantly. Tsukasa smiled and reached her arms upward towards her mother and giggled playfully and Miki pulled her closer. Miki rubbed noses with her daughter as Tsukasa placed both hands on her mother's cheeks and continued to giggle with a smile._

_ "Excuse me for interrupting, but look who decided to say hello." Tadao said happily as he approached Miki's bed and was accompanied by Inori and Matsuri, who were barely as tall as his knees._

_ "Girls, come say hello to your new sister, Tsukasa." Miki said happily as the two youngsters climbed onto their mother's bed and scooted slowly over to their new sister. "Where's Kagami, Tadao?"_

_ "Right here," the doctor said as he held the oldest twin in his arms. Kagami, naked and still wrapped in a blanket, was busy chewing on the doctor's pen as she handed her to Tadao. "She had a bit of a cough so I just wanted to make sure it was nothing. Congratulations Hiiragi family, you have two healthy daughters."_

_ Tadao held Kagami again, who continued to pursue the doctor's pen between her gums as he chuckled and relayed his daughter to Miki, who now held both Hiiragi twins in her arms. She kissed both their heads and held her bundles of joy closer as Inori and Matsuri scooted closer. Matsuri looked at her new sisters and said, "They smell funny, mama."_

_ Miki couldn't help but giggle. "Oh come now, Matsuri. You smelled the same way when you were born."_

_ "Yeah that's right! I still smell you, too!" Inori teased Matsuri as she held her nose, making a vein pop up on the younger brunette's forehead._

_ "Now, now, cut it out you two." Tadao said with a smile on his face._

_ While Matsuri remained passive about the twins, Inori scooted closer with intrigue. "Can I hold them, mama?"_

_ Miki smiled and nodded. "Here, you can hold Kagami."_

_ Tadao assisted his exhausted wife by taking the oldest twin and placing her gently on Inori's lap. Kagami's big purple eyes drifted up to her big sister and the two stared at each other for the longest time. Tadao and Miki just sat back and took in the sight as Kagami smiled again and lifted her hands towards Inori, and the oldest Hiiragi daughter began to play with her sister and tickled her belly, making Kagami laugh._

_ "I think she likes me, mama!" Inori exclaimed happily._

_ Miki nodded. "Of course she does, sweetie. She's your little sister."_

_ "How about it, Matsuri? Do you want to hold Tsukasa?" Tadao asked as he saw Matsuri's eyes light up with curiosity as she watched Inori and Kagami get to know each other._

_ Matsuri was reluctant at first but soon smiled and nodded slowly. Tadao took the droopy-eyed Tsukasa from Miki's arm, immediately making Tsukasa restless as she began to squirm. As soon as Tsukasa was placed in Matsuri's lap, the youngest Hiiragi twin looked up and into the eyes of her bigger sister, triggering an opposite reaction than what Inori received from Kagami. Tsukasa closed her eyes, scrunched her face, and began crying again, startling Matsuri._

_ "What did I do?! I didn't even say hello yet! This baby's broken!" Matsuri protested with a frown as Tadao and Miki laughed as Tadao gently scooped Tsukasa up again and placed her in Miki's arms and also placed Kagami back in Miki's possession and pulled out his camera._

_ "Okay, smile." He said, which Miki complied while Kagami stared at the camera with a serious face and Tsukasa continued to cry and claw at the air as he pushed the button and took the picture._

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Miki felt cold and it was the sudden change in the temperature that woke her from her nostalgic paradise. She opened her eyes and saw a blanket had been placed on top of her body as she heard commotion from inside the kitchen. The tired Hiiragi housewife stretched and slowly walked into the kitchen and to her surprise, the shattered china on the floor was swept clean and the broken cabinet was gone.

Miki looked further in the kitchen and saw Matsuri had her back facing her mother while she washed her hands in the sink. Miki entered slowly and said, "You swept the rest of the china?"

Reluctant to turn around, Matsuri nodded slowly. "Yeah, I did."

"Thank you, dear." Miki replied with gratitude. "Are…are you feeling okay?"

Matsuri nodded again.

"Please turn and look at me, Matsuri." Miki pleaded with a weak voice.

Matsuri sighed loudly to present her discomfort with the request but nonetheless complied. She slowly turned and revealed her face, consisting of a black and blue right eye socket where Tsukasa had elbowed her, an enlarged lower lip, and a bruise on her left cheek from a punch. Miki approached her daughter and pulled her slowly into a soft hug, followed up by tender kisses on her head just above the eye socket and on her bruised cheek.

"Are you okay, baby?" She asked.

Matsuri glanced away. "More or less. What about you?"

Miki hugged her daughter again, only this time it was more intimate and deep. Miki pulled Matsuri as close as she possibly could and whispered, "I don't know, dear. I don't know."

The front door opened, making Miki and Matsuri discontinue their hug and Tadao walked into the kitchen. When he saw his wife was awake, he couldn't help but comment. "You were asleep for more than two hours, dear."

Miki nodded and slowly yawned. "I know, I'm sorry."

"The police called us while you were asleep." Tadao informed with regret, grabbing Miki's attention. "They know of Tsukasa's incident with that exchange student and know the trouble she's already in. As far as this is concerned, it's up to Matsuri. If Matsuri wants to press charges, they'll keep Tsukasa in the jail until her trial."

Miki quickly turned to her middle child with a look of desperation. Through her blackened eye, Matsuri could see her mother's desire for her not to pursue more charges. Matsuri didn't want to admit it, but she was scared of Tsukasa and didn't know what to do. If she chose not to pursue more charges, Tsukasa could be released until her next court date for Patty-chan's attack and she would come home. If she did pursue the charges, it would gut Miki like a fish and Matsuri didn't want to be responsible for mentally killing her own mother.

Matsuri sighed again as all attention was on her and she slowly shook her head no.

Miki was about to thank Matsuri and hug her again, until Tadao interjected with, "Are you sure, Matsuri? I'll understand if you want to keep Tsukasa out of the house."

Hearing this prompted Miki to shoot a grave look of shattered emotions at her husband, which he picked up on instantly. He too sighed and instructed Matsuri to give them some alone time, which she promptly did as she was anxious to get out of that bad spot. When they were alone, Tadao opened by saying, "I assume you want me to bail Tsukasa out or something."

Miki looked at him with trembling eyes, hoping he would pick up on what she wanted through her body language. She wanted Tsukasa home where, in Miki's mind, she belonged. Tadao sighed loudly and turned, walked to the kitchen sink, and placed his hands on the counter, letting them slide away from him, making his posture slouch over in agony.

His wife quickly scurried over to him and hugged him around his torso. "My love, please, don't let them take my baby away from me. I'll do anything."

Tadao slowly turned and faced Miki again. "Were you in the same household last night? Tsukasa _attacked_ Matsuri; her own flesh and blood. She gave Matsuri a black eye and Kagami a bloody nose. What's stopping her from doing it again or worse? She's not well, Miki, and keeping her here will do more harm than good. We need to call in a professional and have them take her to a hospital if it needs to come to that."

As soon as he mentioned hospital, Miki began to shake her head and wouldn't stop. "No, no, no. Please, anything but that. She's our daughter, Tadao. Remember when she was first born and she wouldn't stop crying until I held her in my arms? It was the first time I connected with Tsukasa!" She cried and allowed the full river of tears and emotions to follow. "Please, don't take that away from me! I'll never forgive myself if they take her away! If she goes, then you'll have to send me with her because I won't be able to survive without her!"

Miki was becoming hysterical again and Tadao led her over to a dining room chair where the fight took place the previous night and sat her down. She breathed hard and began to cough sporadically as she tried to keep talking through her chokes and wheezes. "I can still fix this! You just need to give me more time! Once Tsukasa sees that we're still here for her, she'll come around! She has to!"

Tadao feared his wife's mentality was going the way of his youngest daughter's. Of course he remembered the day when Tsukasa was born and when he held her for the first time. She wouldn't stop crying until she was in the loving and tender arms of her mother and he couldn't get Tsukasa away from her ever since. Even when Tsukasa was in middle school, the family almost needed a crowbar to pry the youngest twin away from her mother. With all those memories in his mind, it was still killing him to make these decisions, but he had to do what was best for his family. He still knew Tsukasa had a violent personality now and the next time blood would be spilled, it could be a whole lot worse than a bloody nose.

"I'm sorry, Miki. I won't allow Tsukasa to come home." He said and abruptly walked out of the kitchen.

It didn't go well over for Miki, who cried loudly again for her husband to hear. She sobbed and sobbed in the chair until she slumped out of it and curled into another ball on her own floor. She had been married to Tadao for many years prior to the girls' arrival and knew when he made a decision, he _always_ stuck with it for better or for worse. Even when it turned out to be the wrong decision, Tadao still stood by it firmly as it was the principle of the matter over the actual reason that he held to his heart. When you make a commitment to _anything_, you stick with it, even if you get burned. That was one of Tadao's moralities that attracted Miki to him when they were younger. Tadao recently made a decision regarding Kagami however that raised questions about how far he was _truly_ willing to go to make a point.

Miki was going to have to take matters into her own hands if she ever wanted to see her youngest daughter again. She had an idea to bail her daughter out but to do so, she would have to do something unthinkable for a family as religious as hers. Is a crime justified when it's used to help the ones you love? The answer was clear for Miki as she rose to her feet and readied to do the unimaginably insane.

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Across town at a café, Kagami was enjoying her newly reinstated freedom granted to her by Tadao with Inori. The two sisters sat together inside the restaurant, spending quality time together as this was the first alone time they had for each other in a very long time. Kagami stared out the window with an iced coffee sitting in front of her and watched the busy traffic scene outside and was anxious to start school the next day. She wasn't looking forward to her academics as much as she was to apologizing to and making up with Hiyori Tamura.

"You've been awfully quiet since we left, Kagami." Inori noted as she sipped her tea. "I thought you'd be overjoyed since dad ungrounded you last night. I've never seen him lift a punishment before."

Kagami slowly nodded and turned back to Inori. "I know, but I think it has to do with Tsukasa. When the police took her away, I think it was then that he realized just how quickly things can change and he didn't want me to start revolting too, either."

Staring at Kagami's red nose from Tsukasa's punch, Inori nodded. "I agree with you. But it's not dad I worry about, it's actually mom that has me concerned. I never thought she would've been the one to call the police like that."

The oldest Hiiragi twin nodded slowly, her long pigtails moving with her head. "You're right. It shocked me, too. I just hope that mom doesn't feel so guilty over that that she ends up doing something crazy to help Tsukasa."

Because Inori was the oldest daughter and therefore the unofficial leader of the Hiiragi children, she felt it was her responsibility to keep things as optimistic as possible, even with Tsukasa sitting in a jail cell. As a result, Inori tried her best to make Kagami smile again by joking, "Remember that American TV show _Prison Break_? I hope mom doesn't plant herself on the inside just to bust Tsukasa out."

The joke wasn't funny to Kagami and was poorly timed, but she could still see what Inori was trying to do. Nonetheless, the twin-tailed girl smiled and even giggled for her sister's sake. "I totally know what you mean." The resulting joke from Inori allowed the two sisters to share an uncomfortable laugh, which ended as quickly as it began.

After a few seconds of silence, Inori talked again. "Is your nose still hurting?"

Kagami shook her head. "No, not really. Again, Tsukasa is better at scaring people than she is at hurting them, except when she has a desk or a chair at her disposal."

Inori quickly cast her eyes downward upon hearing Kagami's statement and began to rethink this whole day. Inori wanted to take Kagami out and treat her to an iced coffee to make her forget about everything that had happened. It was a futile attempt as the only thing on both of their minds was Tsukasa and why all of this was happening to their once harmonious family. Only a few weeks ago they were celebrating New Year's the best way they knew how, and to think that thirty agonizing minutes of Tsukasa's life changed both her and the people around her for the worse.

Kagami looked up again and met eyes with Inori, and the oldest Hiiragi daughter could tell that Kagami was still hurting from this. Inori sighed and said, "I'm sorry for dragging you out here, Kagami. I just wanted to do my part and help everyone through this horrible time. I know how close you are with Tsukasa and you must be taking this harder than anyone else in the family, Kagami. I'm sorry this has happened to you, but I want you to know that I'm always here for you."

Kagami's expression changed from depressed to sympathetic and she slowly outstretched her hands. Inori connected her hands with her little sister's on the table while Kagami smiled faintly and said, "Hey, remember that time when we were kids and we were playing tag around the shrine? You were able to tag Tsukasa and as she was running after Matsuri, Matsuri ran across the stone path over the koi pond but Tsukasa slipped on a wet spot and fell in."

Inori quickly remembered the incident and couldn't help but laugh, only this time it was sincere. "Yes, I remember, Kagami. Tsukasa wouldn't go near the pond or even eat fish for a month."

The two sisters continued to laugh and share the fonder memories of their troubled sister together. This time Inori added another one. "And remember that one Christmas when Tsukasa tried to surprise us by wrapping gifts for us, only she had to hop out of her room because she accidently tied herself together with ribbon and tape?"

Kagami's laugh deepened and she began to feel happiness for the first time since the night Tsukasa was raped. While the two disconnected sisters mended their ties and became closer again, Kagami continued to reminisce in her mind some of the other times only she and Tsukasa had shared. The fraternal twins shared a special bond that neither Matsuri nor Inori could understand outside the mainstream connection of ordinary sisters. Kagami was always there for Tsukasa, except for one particular time when they were younger and Tsukasa was there for her instead.

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"_Hurry up, Tsukasa!" A five-year-old Kagami called to the lagging Tsukasa as the two twin girls ran together in the community park. "You're such a slowpoke!"_

_ Tsukasa panted and breathed hard as the physical labor was too much for her petite body as the twins neared a sandbox. It was the middle of July that year and the twins had recently celebrated their fifth birthdays only a few weeks earlier and their childhood continued to grow and flourish. Miki had taken them to the local park that day and she watched her two daughters play with a smile on her face as she held an umbrella over her head and her children made it to the protective shade._

_ "You're very fast, sis!" Tsukasa panted as she bent down and rested her hands on her knees to catch her breath. "I can't keep up with you!"_

_ Kagami giggled and the two twins began to play together in the sandbox while Miki watched them with loving and protective eyes. They're so beautiful and innocent, she thought to herself. It's so hard to believe they'll be starting school this fall, she added and remembered a funny incident that happened on their walk over to the park. When they were walking, Tsukasa held Miki's one hand while Kagami held her mother's other hand and all of a sudden a butterfly flapped in front of the twins and caught Tsukasa's attention. The beautiful insect landed on a flower in a garden near Tsukasa and the young girl chased after it happily._

_ As Tsukasa approached the butterfly, she tried to grab it but the insect was too quick for her and it took flight but not up and away from the youngest Hiiragi twin. Instead, it flew right at her face and landed on her nose, suddenly changing Tsukasa's feelings about the flying insect and she shrieked and tried to run, making it take flight again. Tsukasa quickly wrapped her arms around her mother's leg and sobbed slightly as Miki couldn't help but giggle as she lifted Tsukasa up and held her tight, which the youngest Hiiragi daughter wholeheartedly appreciated and hugged back. She was much better by the time they arrived at the park._

_ With their plastic shovels and pails, the twins began to scoop the countless grains of sand into their buckets and build taller mounds of the particles. Tsukasa began to pick dandelions and stick them in the mounds of sand and the girls continued to build their childhood as Miki reached into her handbag and pulled out a book to read. The twins continued to play in the sandbox and Miki could hear their laughter for another ten minutes until she felt nature calling. She looked around and saw the bathroom facilities the park had and closed her book to relieve herself as she walked up to the sandbox._

_ "Girls, I need to use the bathroom. I'll be right over there," Miki informed her daughters and pointed to the facilities. "If you need anything at all or a stranger comes and talks to you, you know what to do, right?"_

_ "Run straight to you and scream as loud as we can." Kagami and Tsukasa said together at once._

_ "That's my good girls. I'll be gone for five minutes so stay here." Miki commanded and took her bag with her into the bathroom stalls while the twins continued to play alone._

_ "Hey Tsukasa, go see if there are any flowers in those bushes!" Kagami exclaimed. "Our sand mountain will look so pretty with flowers on it."_

_ "Okay, sis!" Tsukasa exclaimed happily and dashed from her spot in the sandbox and disappeared in the rows of bushes, leaving Kagami alone to continue playing, or so she thought she was alone._

_ As Kagami poured another shovelful of sand onto her growing mountain, three shadows casted themselves over the twin-tailed girl, startling her and making her turn and look up. Three older girls, around the age of twelve, stood tall above the young and petite Kagami with their arms crossed across their chests and with frowns plastered onto their faces._

_ One of them stepped into the sandbox and said in a taunting tone, "Aw, look at the pathetic little baby! Look at the little sand mountain."_

_ A second girl stepped near the sand mound and began laughing. "Look at those pitiful little pigtails! They look like clumps of dryer lint! Hey kid, why do you have dryer lint sticking out of your head?!"_

_ Kagami felt intimidated as she continued to sit in the sandbox while these older girls stood above her. To combat this, Kagami quickly sprung to her feet, only to be quickly pushed back into the sand by the third girl, who followed it up by saying, "Watch it, kid, you wouldn't want to fall and break something!"_

_ The three older girls laughed hysterically as one kicked the sand mound in front of Kagami's face, getting sand in her face and hair. The oldest Hiiragi twin continued to put on a strong act as she stood again and exclaimed, "I'm telling my mommy on you!"_

_ As Kagami turned to step out of the sandbox, one of the older girls pushed Kagami again against her back, knocking her forward and the oldest twin skinned her knee against the wood enclosing the sandbox. When Kagami landed on her face and in the grass, she felt the pain of her skinned knee and she began to feel the painful ball of emotions climb higher and higher as her eyes began to fill with tears. She continued to try and keep her tough girl act going as she struggled to hold in her chokes and winces from the bullies while they continued to laugh and point at the ailing Kagami._

_ The bushes rustled and Tsukasa poked her head out with her usual happy face across it and she was carrying a bundle of colorful flowers back to the sandbox when she saw what was happening. Her sister was in trouble and she suddenly felt scared, thus replacing her happy look with an expression of fright. She didn't know what to do. Kagami was always the one that took the lead and would protect her from other children, but these girls were much taller and stronger than her. What was she to do?_

_ She suddenly got an idea. An old trick about berries her mother taught her after spending so many hours in the kitchen with her. Tsukasa abandoned the freshly picked flowers and retreated to an area in the bushes where she saw certain berries growing that her mother had warned her about. The youngest Hiiragi daughter quickly picked as many of the berries as she could and when she felt she had enough, she reemerged from the bushes using her dress as a way to carry the massive amount of berries._

_ The older girls laughed again as Kagami struggled to get up with the pain in her knee as Tsukasa approached them, her hands trembling as she held her dress up carrying the berries. "Um…excuse me," she said._

_ It caught the attention of the bullies and they quickly spun around and glared at Tsukasa. "Beat it, kid. Can't you see we're working here?!" One of them snapped._

_ Tsukasa felt like crying too, but she knew she had to remain strong for her sister. "I…I'm sorry for bothering you, but would you care for some berries?"_

_ "We don't want your stupid little baby berries now get lost!" Another bully yelled, making Tsukasa shiver._

_ As they turned to keep harassing Kagami, Tsukasa made one last effort to get them to eat the berries. "Um…they're very good for your skin and pretty girls like yourselves surely must care about beautiful skin."_

_ Once again, the bullies turned to Tsukasa and exchanged looks with each other. They had no idea Tsukasa was Kagami's fraternal twin sister and assumed she was some random kid passing by. They were still flattered by Tsukasa's words and each of the three girls grabbed a handful of the berries and began eating them._

_ "Wow, these are good," one of them said as Kagami pulled herself up and watched the scene unfold in front of her._

_ The bullies continued to eat the scrumptious berries until they were all gone and once again, they told Tsukasa to hit the road without even thanking her for the treats. They turned back to Kagami to keep their inhumane treatment of her going until one of the girls heard a noise. A gurgling sound erupted in one of their stomachs and she suddenly held it while saying, "I don't feel so good all of a sudden."_

_ "Suck it up and let's make this kid eat sand!" One of the girls laughed but was suddenly silenced when she too felt and heard her stomach churn and twist into a knot, forcing her to bend over and clutch her abdomen. "Damn, what the hell is happening to me?!"_

_ The third girl suddenly felt the same and her consequence came first. She felt her throat squeeze inside her and she released a spew of vomit from her mouth and it landed on her friends' shoes and pants, making them scream as Kagami scurried backward to avoid becoming a casualty herself. The sight and stench of the vomit triggered the other two bullies to vomit and they were soon splashed from their hair to their feet in each other's bodily fluids, making them cry. They ran away from the scene, trying to claw the gross fluid off them as it soaked into their clothes and it just left Kagami and Tsukasa alone again._

_ Tsukasa stepped forward as Kagami came to her feet. "Are you okay, sis?" Tsukasa asked._

_ "That…that was amazing, Tsukasa!" Kagami exclaimed as she dried her eyes._

_ Tsukasa giggled and replied, "It was nothing, really. Mommy taught me to never eat those berries or else my tummy would be mad at me."_

_ "I…I can't thank you enough." Kagami said as she rubbed her skinned knee._

_ Tsukasa looked at the knee and approached it and added, "It was nothing, sis. You've always been there for me. Why wouldn't I do the same for you? I love you, big sister Kagami."_

_ Tsukasa bent down and kissed Kagami's wounded knee tenderly, triggering emotions in the usually tough older twin. Kagami began to cry as she hugged Tsukasa, who hugged her back as Miki quickly reemerged from the bathroom and charged up the hill to the sandbox where she heard the commotion. When she got there, her heart melted when she saw the crying Kagami sitting on the ground but in the loving embrace of Tsukasa and the youngest twin kissed her older sister gently on her head._

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"Hey Hiiragi, wake up!" A brutish voice called accompanied with the banging of metal bars, waking Tsukasa up from her slumber. Curled and resting on an iron bed with a cold mattress in her jail cell, Tsukasa slowly looked up with her eyelids have shut, the light from the hallway proving overpowering. With her back facing the jail cell door, Tsukasa slowly turned her head towards the iron-bar door and saw an overweight guard standing there with his nightstick on the iron bars, explaining where the noise came from.

"What do you want, fatty fatty two by four can't fit through the prison door?" Tsukasa hissed in a hostile and fatigued voice.

The guard glared at her as he fiddled with his keys before replying, "You made bail. Get out of my cell."

Surprised by the news, Tsukasa slowly pulled her sore and aching body off the metal slab of a bed and stretched, her bones cracking and echoing across the hallway. Tsukasa stepped out of the jail cell slowly with her eyes cast downwards as the portly guard closed the empty cell and locked it again, followed by reattaching his keys to his belt as Tsukasa observed it.

"Is that your _whole_ job? Your parents must be thrilled." Tsukasa snarled sarcastically with a scorn on her face and she turned to walk out of the jail block.

"Yeah that's right, keep your ass moving Hiiragi, before my nightstick becomes _very_ familiar with the inside of it." The guard snapped.

Tsukasa froze in her tracks and slowly turned her head with a piercing look of hate across her face at what she just heard.

The guard laughed and replied, "That's right. I read your rape report when you came in here last night. I feel bad for the broom."

The guard laughed again as Tsukasa slowly turned her head and continued to walk out of the jail block as the laughing continued. His laugh reminded her of the laugh of Ryosuke's and his friends, only adding fuel to her fire of hate in her soul. Tsukasa was escorted into the lobby of the police station, where the police activity continued all around her and she scanned for what she expected to see would be her father. When she saw Miki finish signing the last piece of paperwork and eventually bow to the policeman, Tsukasa squinted her eyes and walked forward.

When Miki turned and spotted Tsukasa, she dashed through the busy lobby and hugged Tsukasa like she never did before. Her tears flowed from her eyes and dripped onto Tsukasa's black top until Miki pushed back and looked at her daughter. Tsukasa's complexion was much paler from the previous night and dark circles were under her eyes from the sudden change in sleeping conditions.

"Let me take you home, dear." Miki whispered and took Tsukasa's hand and led her out of the station.

When they entered the sunny day, Tsukasa squinted tighter to lessen the burning of her eyes. She wanted to rip her hand from her mother's grasp but didn't have the strength to do it and allowed herself to be pulled like a dog on a leash to the family car. When they sat inside, silence engulfed them until Tsukasa asked a question that nearly made Miki wet herself. "Where'd you get the bail money?"

After stuttering several times, Miki finally was able to lie, "You're father allowed me to spend some of our savings to get you out."

Tsukasa wasn't fooled but at the same time didn't care as she rested her head against the window. "How's Matsuri doing?"

Miki turned again and believed this may be the first sign of recovery. "She…she's doing fine, Tsukasa. We want to be a real family again but we cannot do it without you, so what do you say? Will you please shape up and join the Hiiragi household again?"

As Miki navigated through the traffic, she found time to look at Tsukasa, only to see her youngest daughter was leaning up against the car door and apparently asleep. Miki decided not to wake the sleeping Tsukasa up as she concluded that she had just as rough a night as everyone else. Tsukasa wasn't asleep though. She was pretending to be and only one thought could come to her mind even after the fight, her arrest, and her night in jail.

_Nothing's changed._


	8. The Father's Mind

CHAPTER 8

THE FATHER'S MIND

_The weather was still warm but there was a distinct crisp in the air. Autumn was fast approaching as the morning sun lifted into the Monday morning sky, the first day of school for elementary students across Japan. Young children crowded the streets as they flocked to their schools with their parents by their sides, each one with their fitted uniforms and yellow hats, symbolizing their presence as a young elementary student._

_ For one family arriving at Honcho Elementary School, the Hiiragi family was in the process of dropping their newest kin off for their first day. Tadao and Miki escorted Kagami and Tsukasa to the school as the waves of other children continued to flood the grounds of the school. Though they were twins, their reactions to their first day were anything but identical._

_ Leading the charge with vibrant enthusiasm, Kagami gripped her father's hand and was pulling him as fast as she could towards the school. "Hurry up, daddy! Today's the big day!"_

_ "Yes, yes, Kagami. Slow it down though, the school isn't going anywhere." Tadao said calmly with nostalgic happiness for his daughter. "You've been looking forward to this day for awhile, haven't you, Kagami?"_

_ "I sure have!" Kagami began to pant as they neared the school. "I can't wait to start learning and to make new friends!"_

_ Miki on the other hand was having a more difficult time with the twin she was escorting. Walking at a slower pace, Miki felt Tsukasa cling to her dress with all her might and the young girl's petite face was buried in the garb. She could also feel her youngest daughter trembling and it got worse with every step. They had a long and difficult night the previous night with Tsukasa as going to school and being away from her mother for the first time didn't sit well with her. It resulted in a long and emotional tantrum from the youngest Hiiragi daughter._

_ The family finally arrived at the school's front gate and Kagami was bouncing up and down as her father struggled to keep a firm grip on her hand. Tsukasa however began to pull towards the opposite direction while the sea of other children continued to brush past the family. While Tadao continued to hold Kagami's hand, Miki stopped and tried to loosen her youngest daughter's grip on her dress._

_ With every attempt, Tsukasa only squeezed harder and buried her face deeper into the protective cocoon of her mother's existence. Tsukasa suddenly looked up into Miki's eyes and the Hiiragi housewife saw something truly upsetting for every mother. Tsukasa's eyes were flooded with tears and her face was flushed as she struggled to hold the water in her head._

_ "Mommy…please don't make me go." She whimpered submissively and continued to gasp for air between chokes. "I promise I'll be a good girl. Please don't leave me, mommy. I love you."_

_ Miki felt her daughter pulling at her heart strings and she was finally able to free herself from Tsukasa's grip, allowing her to turn and bend down to her knees and look the crying infant in the eyes. Miki pulled her close and Tsukasa quickly returned the hug and continued to sob and choke as more tears flowed downward._

_ "Now, now, don't make such a fuss, Tsukasa." Miki commanded with a soothing voice as she looked her in the eyes again. "School is going to be a lot of fun. You're going to learn so many things and make new friends. Plus your big sister will be there with you."_

_ Tsukasa continued to choke and wince as she dried her tears. "I don't want to leave you, mommy."_

_ Miki sighed as the time to leave her daughter drew closer. "How about this; when you're done with school today, we'll spend the rest of the day together in the kitchen and I'll teach you how to bake madeleines."_

_ Hearing the offer began to dry Tsukasa's tears as she wiped them from her eyes. "O…okay mommy…but…what about…the others?"_

_ "The others?" Miki asked with curiosity._

_ "The other kids. What if nobody likes me? What if everybody's mean to me?" Tsukasa asked with another sniffle. "Everybody loves sissy; sissy is the best. But what if I can't be like sissy and nobody likes me?"_

_ Miki sighed again as the issues continued to mount for her and her youngest daughter. She suddenly got an idea that would possibly help booster Tsukasa's self-esteem and she reached into her purse and fished for the tool to help her. Miki grasped the tool and slowly retracted her hand and when it reemerged, a yellow ribbon wafted in the breeze in her grasp and she lifted it towards Tsukasa's head._

_ "What's that, mommy?" Tsukasa asked with curiosity as Miki wrapped the ribbon around the back of her daughter's head and began to tie it in an upward bow just above her forehead._

_ "I was planning on giving this to you a little later, but now is as good a time as any," Miki replied as she finished tying the ribbon with a bow divided into two tails standing upward on the top of Tsukasa's head. "This ribbon automatically makes you ten times cuter than any other girl in this school, Tsukasa. When you go into that school and everyone sees your ribbon, they will be so impressed that they'll want to be your friend instantly."_

_ "Really?" Tsukasa asked as she lifted her drying eyes upward towards the new yellow addition._

_ "Absolutely…in fact, I think I'll need that ribbon to make my own friends today. I changed my mind, I'm taking it back." Miki said playfully and quickly tickled her daughter's stomach, sending the youngest Hiiragi twin into a laughing frenzy as she covered her ticklish spot and Miki continued to tickle Tsukasa until she pulled her close and kissed her on the head. "Feel better?"_

_ Tsukasa smiled and nodded once. "Can…can we still bake madeleines after school?"_

_ Miki closed her eyes and giggled. "Of course, sweetheart."_

_ Miki kissed Tsukasa on her head again and watched the youngest Hiiragi twin dash to Kagami and the two sisters joined hands and walked into the schoolyard together. They soon disappeared in the clutter of other children as Miki rejoined her husband and the two stood side-by-side. Tadao wrapped his arm around Miki's shoulder and pulled her close._

_ "You're a natural, hun." He said with a smile._

_ Miki giggled. "Of course, dear. She's my daughter, you know."_

_ Tadao chuckled and turned to his wife, connected his lips to hers and when their kiss was complete, said, "I love you, Miki."_

_ His wife looked up at him with a smile. She opened her mouth and began to repeat the same word over and over again. "Dad? Dad?"_

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"Hey dad, are you okay?" Matsuri asked, bringing Tadao out of his flashback as the two worked at the family shrine.

Matsuri stood before him dressed in her shrine maiden outfit with a bucket of cleaning supplies in one hand and a washcloth in the other. Tadao himself was in the midst of sweeping the wooden porch of another shrine near the bald spot where the remains of the torched shrine once stood.

Snapping himself out of his trance, Tadao shook his head quickly and glanced at Matsuri again. "Yes, yes I'm fine, dear. I was just thinking, that's all."

Matsuri shrugged. "Okay. I just wanted to tell you I'm done polishing the shrine bells."

Tadao nodded. "Thank you, Matsuri. Did you also sweep the around the massha?"

Matsuri nodded.

Tadao searched his mind to see if there was anything else he needed Matsuri to do. He scanned the layout of the Hiiragi family shrine's property and couldn't take his eyes off the scorched bald spot. The crime against his daughter happened in the Kagura-den, a shrine that is exclusively used in ceremonies for dance rituals. Something about its destruction though was puzzling him. If it was Ryosuke's accomplices that were responsible for the arson as the police believed, then why did they burn _that_ shrine down? In the minds of sick and twisted individuals such as rapists, Tadao thought they would've wanted to keep the Kagura-den up as their own trophy while taunting the family with it in the process. Knowing that Tsukasa was brutally gang-raped inside the shrine would drastically change how the family saw the shrine and they would begin to feel uncomfortable living on their own property. Instead of burning it down, they could've trashed or torched another shrine or wrote a message of hate on another sacred structure or a message threatening the other Hiiragi daughters.

Matsuri watched her father deep in thought and saw he couldn't take his eyes off the bald spot, where pieces of the soil were still blackened by the fire. She didn't know what was going on in his mind but knew he was under a lot of stress from not only his wife, but also from the community. Since the rape alone, attendance at the shrine from visitors and tourists was down and the inflow of money was becoming narrower. After the arson, attendance was at the lowest point it ever was in the shrine's history and when Tsukasa was arrested the previous night, Tadao knew it was only a matter of time until the visitors stopped coming completely.

"Um…so is that everything, dad?" Matsuri asked, snapping her father out of his second trance.

"Oh, yes, that's all for today, Matsuri. Thank you for your help." Tadao said and turned away. "Your friend Ibuki-san is coming over later to pick you up, isn't she?"

Matsuri nodded. "We were going to the mall and going out for drinks after that."

Tadao smiled for her and nodded. "Sounds like fun."

As Matsuri turned, she began to slowly walk away, her wooden sandals clogging against the cobblestone path. Her father remained silent as he looked back at the Kagura-den's vacant spot and Matsuri knew something was truly eating away at his curiosity. The cold air of the January weather made her black eye more sensitive, but nevertheless she wanted to make sure everything was all right with him before she returned to the warm house.

"Dad…I can tell something's bothering you. Is it still Tsukasa?" Matsuri asked.

Tadao's sense of concentration was broken again by his middle child as he looked back at her and slowly shook his head. "No…well, I've been thinking about the Kagura-den."

Matsuri joined her father in looking at the scorched plot of land where the shrine once stood. She remembered how much fun she used to have with her father there when he taught her how to perform the traditional ceremonial Kagura dance along with Inori and eventually Kagami and Tsukasa. That was many years ago when they wore smaller miko outfits and it was more about quality time together over actually learning the dance.

"You mean when those pricks burned it down?" Matsuri asked.

Tadao brought his hand to his face and began to scratch his chin and submissively stated, "That's the issue. Something's telling me that it wasn't them at all. I think I have an idea who _really _burned the shrine down…but I'm afraid if I utter the name of who I think did such a thing to us…I believe I'm going to be sick."

Matsuri felt her father's emotions and she could tell just how upset he was over this. He cried when he saw his family's shrine going up in flames and it began to mess with his mind. Tadao couldn't help but feel that he had disgraced his ancestors twice; the first time for letting such a horrible crime happen to his daughter within the sanctity of its walls, and for letting an assailant destroy it. Despite this, Matsuri tried to catch up to her father's train of thought and an intuition suddenly exploded in her head that made her feel sick.

"Dad…you don't think that maybe…it couldn't have been…Tsu—"

"Like I said, Matsuri," Tadao interrupted his daughter as he turned to her and placed his hands on her shoulders firmly. "I don't blame you if you didn't want to allow your sister out of jail. Don't tell anyone else in the house I said this to you, but I'm almost afraid of your sister."

Tadao felt his knees weaken and quake as he quickly found a stone bench to sit on as Matsuri helped him to it. He put his hand to his head and couldn't help but breathe hard to try and calm himself down as he continued to think about more memories regarding his youngest daughter and the shrine.

"My god, I'm afraid of my own daughter." He snarled at himself. "What kind of father am I?"

"The best in the world, daddy." Matsuri interjected for him and Tadao quickly picked up on how Matsuri called him "daddy," an incredible rarity for the middle Hiiragi daughter. "We all feel the same way, now. We all want things to go back to the way they used to be, but that can't happen. You're doing your best, and because of that you've already gone above and beyond _anything_ the average father would do for his children to make sure they're comfortable."

Tadao rubbed his eyes with his fingers and turned back to Matsuri. "Thank you, dear. I remember when you were a little girl and dancing happily with your sisters in that shrine. You've grown up so fast that I couldn't keep up and now you're a beautiful young woman."

Matsuri smiled for her father's sake and pulled him into a hug.

Tadao returned the hug and whispered into his daughter's ear, "Please do me a favor, Matsuri, keep making me and your mother proud. We're both counting on you, Inori, and Kagami."

Matsuri became depressed when she noticed her father intentionally left out Tsukasa. She closed her eyes and nestled her face deeper into the hug, another rarity for the usually masculine middle child. Tadao remembered when Matsuri was younger and even until now, she hated it when either he or Miki would hug or kiss her as at first she thought it was gross, now she just thought it was annoying. It wasn't until Tsukasa got in the fast lane to disaster that she changed her mind about such sentiments.

Tadao stared at the blackened hole in the ground where the Kagura-den once stood and felt another vision coming to him.

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_As the snow fell in the winter season, peace and harmony settled upon the Hiiragi shrine as Christmas arrived at their household yet again. Their home was festively decorated from top to bottom with glittering Christmas lights and lawn ornaments while several freshly constructed snowmen stood in the yard, as well as snow angels made by two taller figures, and two made by two smaller figures._

_The Hiiragi family celebrated with their close-knit family this Christmas Eve. Usually, Tadao and Miki hosted a get-together for their two families, but this holiday they wanted to keep it close. Inori and Matsuri were getting older while Kagami and Tsukasa just started school, so the married couple decided they wanted to be alone with their children for the family holiday._

_Hearing the oven's buzzer, Miki quickly slipped on her protective gloves and opened the door and was blasted by a mouth-watering aroma of a roast. She put the steaming pot aside as she heard the clatter of her children playing together while their laughter echoed through the hallways and Tadao finally returned from the shrine._

"_I'm home," he announced to the household._

"_In here, dear." Miki called from the kitchen as she continued to prepare the Christmas dinner._

_Tadao was hit by the sweet aroma of the dinner Miki had prepared for the family and when she lifted the pot's lid, a cloud of steam lifted up and it revealed the scrumptious dinner. The husband smiled and planted a kiss on his wife's cheek and said, "It looks great, hun. You never cease to amaze me."_

_Miki giggled, turned, and placed her arms on Tadao's shoulders as he placed his hands on her hips and the couple began to sway gently left and right. "Thank you, dear. You're quite amazing yourself, so how was work?"_

_Tadao nodded once, still with a happy smile on his face. "It was fine. I was thinking…when the kids go to bed tonight…maybe you and I could open each other's presents…if you know what I mean."_

_Miki giggled again and sensually replied. "Sounds great, just make sure you unwrap me gently."_

"_Unwrap? We're opening presents now?!" A new and young voice announced, making Tadao and Miki turn and see Matsuri standing in the doorway with an excited face. _

_The couple couldn't help but laugh at her innocence as they disconnected from each other and tried to divert the conversation away from them and back on the children. Miki stepped forward and bent down to eight-year-old Matsuri and patted her head. "Well…we're starting a new tradition this year. Each of you gets to open one present on Christmas Eve. You'll still have to wait until Santa Claus delivers the rest, though."_

"_Hooray!" Matsuri exclaimed and dashed back upstairs to inform her sisters._

_Tadao chuckled as his wife stood again and he said, "One present on Christmas Eve? You just can't stop spoiling them, can you, dear?"_

_Miki sighed with a smile. "It was either that or tell her about the birds and the bees. That would flush our Christmas down the toilet."_

_The dinner wasn't as close or eventful as Miki had hoped. Matsuri catching her parents in the middle of their innuendo put them in the predicament that forced Miki to let Christmas come early. Throughout dinner the children bickered back and forth of which gift they would open first, thus keeping the conversation away from the family and the true meanings of Christmas. Nevertheless, the dinner continued with Tsukasa taking her usual spot next to her mother at the dinner table with Kagami to her right._

_The only conversation Miki and Tsukasa had together revolved around how Miki cooked the roast and what kind of ingredients were best for holiday dinners. It perked Tsukasa's interest throughout, though it was just her and her mother that partook in the discussion. Inori and Matsuri also bickered over food while Kagami was still trying to adjust to her new and permanent hairstyle. Her twin pigtails, which at this point barely reached her shoulders, kept getting in the way of her mouth as she tried to eat._

_After dinner, the family retreated into the living room where their Christmas tree stood with the presents individually wrapped sitting underneath. Tadao and Miki allowed their children to pick out their own presents to open, which they wholeheartedly agreed to, all except for one. Tsukasa Hiiragi sat on the couch in her pajamas with her arm wrapped around a teddy bear hugging it close to her face as she watched her older siblings debate what present to open, which Miki took notice of._

_ "Dear, don't you want to open a present, too?" She asked as she sat next to Tsukasa._

_ Tsukasa, with her usual docile face and yellow ribbon still fixed in her hair, turned to her mother. "I…I don't know what to open, mommy."_

_ Tadao's ears perked up and he quickly glanced over to the tree and found one present that had Tsukasa's name on it. He collected it just as his other three daughters finalized their decisions and waited for the green light as Tadao placed the present next to Tsukasa._

_ "I think you should open this one, Tsukasa." He said with a smile and a wink and Tsukasa slowly held the gift in her arms, which was a flat box and nearly as tall as she was._

_ "I get to go first because I'm the oldest!" The eleven-year-old Inori exclaimed happily as she held her box._

_ "Yes, yes, we all know the tradition, sweetie." Miki said. "Go ahead."_

_ Inori began to tear the paper of the small box apart and when she opened the brown box, she lifted a purple bottle with a sprayer at the top. "It's perfume! I've always wanted to have my own!"_

_ "Glad you like it dear, just remember our agreement about makeup and other cosmetics." Miki added sternly._

_ "No makeup until I'm sixteen, I know mom." Inori said happily as she sprayed her first bit on her neck._

_ Matsuri readied her present. "Okay, my turn!" She tore the paper apart covering the larger box compared to Inori's and was able to pry the box open. She reached in and pulled out a leather notebook with the kanji "Diary" written across it. "My own journal!"_

_ "That's right, now you can write your own personal thoughts in there and nobody can read them." Tadao said with a smile._

_ Matsuri opened the diary and found a pen and pencil set attached to the inside of the leather cover and quickly pulled out the pen. She eyed Inori and Kagami and formed a sinister smile while narrowing her eyes. "That's right! I can't wait to tell my journal everything about you two!"_

_ "Hey!" Inori and Kagami yelled together as Matsuri began to write._

_ Matsuri began to quickly scribble in the first page while giggling to herself and eyeing her two sisters to keep them agitated. Kagami quickly turned to Miki and cried, "Mommy, make her stop! She's being mean again!"_

_ "Now, now, there's no need for commotion on Christmas. Matsuri, you know to be nice to your sisters." Miki commanded._

_ "Yes, mom," Matsuri groaned as she closed her journal._

_ It was now Kagami's turn as she held her present and massacred the wrapping paper. She was an impatient child and being one of the youngest in the family didn't help on Christmas, but it was a different story on her birthday. Throwing the shredded paper aside, Kagami opened her box and three small books sat inside._

_ "What are they?" Kagami asked as she lifted the thin books out and began to page through one of them._

_ "They're called light novels, dear." Miki said. "I think you'll like them. They're a series about a female lawyer and what she does in court. Plus they'll help you learn new words and improve your reading ability."_

_ Kagami sounded a curious hum as she took the first one in the series and began to read to herself. It was an instant hit with Kagami as she could easily understand the words and began to grasp the plot of the book right away._

_ Finally, Tsukasa sat with the flat box on her lap and she suddenly felt nervous with all eyes on her. Slowly and reluctantly, she opened the present and lifted the box's lid off and inside sat a new wardrobe for Tsukasa. It was a small white robe with a red dress skirt that would cover down to her ankles and it would be held together with a red sash._

_ "What is it, daddy?" She asked with curiosity._

_ "It's a miko's outfit, Tsukasa." Tadao said. "I'm sure you know this by now but we live on a shrine and that is of great importance to the community. One day, you'll be old enough to serve as a miko in the shrine and help with the tasks of being on a shrine."_

_ Kagami took one look at it and started laughing at it. She pointed and laughed as Tsukasa held it up, making her younger sister blush and shy away in embarrassment. This prompted Matsuri to come to Tsukasa's aid by saying, "I wouldn't laugh if I were you, Kagami. Dad got you the exact same thing."_

_ The revelation silenced Kagami's laughter and it triggered Inori and Matsuri to have their fun with their sister as Miki also couldn't help but giggle. Not at her daughter's embarrassment, but at the fact that Matsuri stepped up and defended her little sister._

_ "I like it. Thank you, daddy." Tsukasa said with a smile as she hugged the outfit._

_ Tadao smiled and added, "Would you like to try it on, Tsukasa?"_

_ The youngest Hiiragi daughter nodded with enthusiasm and quickly retreated to her room and with her father telling her how to put it on through the closed door, she soon reemerged wearing the outfit. Tadao's heart melted when he saw his daughter wearing the small outfit and she happily twirled around to show it off to her father. It ignited a newfound interest in Tsukasa's innocent mind and she demanded that her father take her to the shrine and talk more about it._

_ Taking his daughter's hand and guiding her through the snowy grounds of the shrine, he took her into the Kagura-den, where the traditional Kagura dance was performed. He sat down and allowed Tsukasa to sit on his lap as he began to explain the history of the family's shrine and the history of their culture, which she knew a bit about already. As her father spoke, Tsukasa's eyes scanned the shrine's interior and observed the family portraits of all the priests that owned and worked for the shrine before her lifetime. She stared at her father's official portrait and continued to listen._

_ "And one day, Tsukasa, you too will also learn the Kagura dance and perform it for spectators during the festivals." Tadao finished._

_ "I want to learn the dance, daddy!" Tsukasa exclaimed happily._

_ Tadao stared at his daughter's trembling eyes filled with excitement and he continued to feel her innocence tug at his heart. He smiled, sighed, and said, "How about we have a small dance together right now?"_

_ Tsukasa nodded happily._

_ The father and daughter joined hands while Tsukasa stood on her father's feet and the two continued to waltz back and forth inside the shrine. Tadao continued to stare into his daughter's eyes and he didn't want this moment to end. He didn't even want her to grow up and for her to stay his little girl forever._

_ "Hey, Tsukasa, I want you to promise me something, baby girl." Tadao said with sentiment._

_ "What's that, daddy?" Tsukasa asked with a smile._

_ "I want you to stay six-years-old forever, honey." Tadao said with a choke in his voice. "Never grow up and always stay innocent forever. Is that a deal?"_

_ "Okay, daddy!" Tsukasa said happily as she hugged his legs and the two family members continued to dance in the Kagura-den._

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Tadao was snapped out of his second flashback when he heard a car door slam near his home. He knew that Miki had left earlier to go grocery shopping, at least that's what she said she was doing, and he assumed she had returned. Arriving back at his house, he entered through the front door and when he entered the kitchen, his emotions suddenly changed when he saw Tsukasa drinking a glass of water.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" He yelled, startling Tsukasa and making her turn.

Before she could answer, Miki rushed in from the other room and stood in front of Tsukasa, acting like a shield for her daughter. "Now, dear, please don't shout. She just got home."

Tadao glanced at Tsukasa and back at his wife. He was mad. He was mad as hell. As a married couple, they consulted with each other on _everything _regarding what happened in their household before they made a decision. Miki went behind his back to bail out Tsukasa without so much as asking his opinion on it and on top of that, she completely disregarded his earlier statement that he didn't want his youngest daughter back in their home. As Tadao was about to raise more hell with this issue, something happened that neither he nor Miki expected as Tsukasa stepped in front of her mother.

"Daddy, please don't shout anymore." Tsukasa whimpered with her eyes looking downwards at the floor. "I don't want to keep fighting. I want to talk about this…but can I at least take a bath first? I feel very tired and cold. Please let me take a bath first."

Tsukasa lifted her eyes up and stared at her father and it was at that moment when Tadao felt his nostalgia again. He quickly remembered his flashback when he danced with Tsukasa in the Kagura-den and his daughter's face was so full and packed with life and happiness. Now, when he looked at Tsukasa, all he saw was a pale face with black circles around its eyes and the absence of life and hope within the eyes themselves. Tsukasa's breathing was very weak and faint and she looked like living proof of death. His youngest daughter looked completely defeated.

Tadao remembered how pure and innocent she once was and what was happening to her wasn't Tsukasa's fault, but rather the end result of a horrible and perverse tragedy. Without verbalizing anything, Tadao quickly nodded and flicked his head towards the staircase, giving her his approval to take a bath.

Tsukasa nodded and said, "Thank you, daddy" in such a weak and tame voice. It reminded him of her voice when she was a child and when she would be at home sick with the flu or whatever she had at the time.

As Tsukasa walked upstairs, Miki breathed a sigh of relief as Tadao stepped forward. "This isn't over. We still need to talk about her and Matsuri, what she's going to do for school, and her plan for the trial with Patty-chan."

Miki nodded quickly and buried herself in her husband's chest and pulled him close. She was so relieved that he didn't banish Tsukasa from their home and allowed her to rest her delicate body for the time being. The only thing that concerned Miki is that when Tadao would question where she got the money to pay for Tsukasa's bail. She knew it was only a matter of time before he would find out because with his work, he would notice soon enough. It was actually a miracle he didn't notice it yet.

As Tsukasa began to draw her bath, she reached under the bathroom sink and lifted out a bottle of bubble soap. She poured enough into the running water to make the mountains of bubbles form and turn the water invisible, just as she wanted. She didn't want to have to see herself in the water for what she was planning on doing next. Walking into her vacant room, she searched for her diary under the mattress. Pulling it out along with a pen, she wrote the simplest entry to date.

_Got arrested for beating Matsuri. Had the same dream last night again of those monsters raping me. Thank god for that asshole guard for waking me up before the pain of the broomstick came again. I can't take it anymore. Goodbye forever._

Tsukasa closed her diary and thinking it was the last entry she would ever write, she hid it. She knew it would eventually be found, but wanted to make sure she was free before that happened. The content of the diary's inside was enough to do everything bad and unspeakable to her family. If it was ever read, it would be enough for Tsukasa to be arrested again, for her sister's to never speak to her again, for her to be banished from the family forever, and it was even powerful enough to drive Tadao and Miki to divorce each other if one or both of them ever read it.

As the bathtub filled, Tsukasa needed to retrieve one more thing for her bath. She walked into her parents' room and into their bathroom, where Tadao kept all his masculine hygiene supplies. Being the only man in the house, he thought it was necessary to keep everything separate from the females in his home but Tsukasa still knew where to find everything. She searched through a drawer until she grasped what she needed and quickly retreated back into the bathroom.

With the tub now filled with hot water covered by a thick layer of bubbles, Tsukasa undressed herself and when her clothes were off, she stared at herself in the mirror one last time, revealing another secret. Her skin was pale and lifeless while her ribcage was clearly visible. Since she was raped, Tsukasa never ate a full course meal. She would pick at some food every now and then, but overall her health was continuing to deteriorate with her eating disorder. She didn't want to put _anything _in her mouth because of the humiliation she was forced to suffer during her rape only reminded her of that New Year's Eve.

Slipping into the bathwater, her body was no longer visible from her chest down, just as she wanted. Holding the tool from her father's drawer in her left hand, she breathed hard in anticipation of the inevitable pain. Grasping the tool, she placed it near her right hand and with one violent motion, ran it against her wrist.

Tsukasa winced and nearly screamed in pain but she continued to breathe deep while her heart pounded in her chest. Slowly looking down at the bubbly water, the bathwater began to turn an eerie red around her right wrist as she lifted her left hand out. Resting it on the edge of the tub, she opened her fingers and a razor blade slipped out that came from Tadao's shaving kit. The metal device landed on the tile floor with a clang as Tsukasa continued to breathe hard.

"That's right…take me away." She whispered as the water around her darkened in red and her skin became paler. Despite being in a hot bath, she still felt cold as the blood rushed out of her slashed wrist. Nevertheless, Tsukasa knew it was only a matter of time until her pain and anguish on Earth would be over forever.

"I still think you're making a big mistake, Miki." Tadao sternly said to his wife as they sat together in the kitchen. "She's still not well. One night in jail isn't going to change that."

Miki shook her head. "You're wrong, Tadao. When they brought her out to me in the station, I could see a change in her eyes. I think she's truly sorry for what she did to Matsuri."

Tadao shook his head. "I agree that I saw a change in her eyes, but I don't think it was what we should be seeing. When she was arrested last night, she had nothing but hate and anger in her eyes. Now, I saw nothing. No life, no emotion, nothing."

"We'll see." Miki snapped. "She's my daughter and I know what's best for her. Not you."

Tadao glared at her and stood from his chair. "I'm going to freshen up. Matsuri is out with a friend and Inori and Kagami are at school."

He abruptly left his seat and his wife alone as the bitterness between the couple only deepened. Tadao walked upstairs and approached the bathroom where it was unusually quiet on the inside. He didn't hear any splashing or anything. He stopped and raised his clenched fist with the intention of knocking on the door to check on Tsukasa but stopped. Tadao searched his heart and didn't want to further push Tsukasa away as he sighed, lowered his hand, and continued to walk to his bathroom.

Entering his bathroom, comparatively smaller than the family one, he searched for his shower supplies and also planned on shaving. He glanced down at the drawer that contained his shaving kit and instantly noticed something odd about it. The drawer was open slightly. Tadao was a man of details and knew that he always kept his bathroom neat and tidy as an example for his daughters. He never left a drawer open slightly, no matter how much he was in a rush.

He opened the drawer and when he saw his razor, he also began to count the spare blades in a box next to it. One was missing. Tadao scratched his head with curiosity of what may have happened to it, but he suddenly froze like a snowman when a thought exploded in his mind and he began to tremble as his heart pounded. He quickly dashed out of his bathroom and arrived at the family's bathroom and began pounding on the door.

"Tsukasa?! Tsukasa are you okay?! Tsukasa answer me right now!" He commanded as he pounded on the tinted glass of the door. He tried to open the door but suddenly realized it was locked, only furthering his panic when he was answered by silence and not by his daughter. "Tsukasa, open this door right now!"

Mustering all the strength his body would allow in his right arm, Tadao thrust his elbow into the glass, breaking a hole in it and allowing him to unlock the door and burst in. Taking in the scene in front of him was so dire and so grim, it took him several seconds to process every piece of it. The bathwater was red, Tsukasa's flesh was white as a ghost, her mouth and nose were underwater, and her left arm was hanging limp over the tub and her fingers were pointing at his missing razor blade.

Fighting the urge to vomit, Tadao ran into the bathroom and grabbed Tsukasa's cold and limp body under her armpits and hoisted her out. Disregarding her nudity, he rested her body on the tile floor and saw her right wrist was still spewing blood and it all made sense to him. His youngest daughter tried to kill herself.

With rising panic, he wrapped a towel around her gushing wrist and yelled at the open door, "Miki, call an ambulance now!"

Tadao searched for a pulse under his daughter's neck and he could no longer quell his panic when he failed to locate one and realized Tsukasa wasn't breathing. He immediately began to perform CPR on his daughter and mouth-to-mouth, desperate to start her heart again as Miki arrived with the phone in hand and began to scream at the sight of her naked daughter covered in blood and unconscious. She instantly proved her uselessness when she dropped the phone and began crying uncontrollably as Tadao continued to perform futile CPR and yell at his devastated wife to call for help.


	9. The First Strike

CHAPTER 9

THE FIRST STRIKE

_A/N: People, people, I assure you Tsukasa is fine…for now. Let me put it to you this way…the Hiiragi family's drama and problems __**have not**__ even begun to start yet. Everything up until now is just the opening act! Thanks for reading and I hope it's still good!_

The clock ticked slowly this day. Kagami Hiiragi kept finding herself glancing back at it, anxious for lunchtime to arrive at her first day back at school since her suspension. Ever since she arrived back at the school and walked the hallways, she got a taste of her own medicine when she saw people pointing and talking behind her back. Now she knew how Tsukasa felt after her rape and even after the twin-tailed girl's fight with Tamura-san. On top of that, everyone knew of Tsukasa's brutal attack on Patty-chan and her expulsion from school so nobody knew what to expect next from the Hiiragi family. Either way, the only thing on Kagami's mind was apologizing to Tamura-san when lunch would come.

When the noon bells sounded, the students restructured their desks into larger tables to eat their meals, while Misao and Ayano tried to flag Kagami down to restart their usual social tradition. As their desks were pushed together, Kagami approached them. "Sorry guys, but I have something I need to do over the break."

"What's going on, Hiiragi?" Misao asked with curiosity as she sat down.

As Kagami walked towards the open doorway, she said, "I need to talk to Tamura-san."

Misao and Ayano exchanged looks with each other and Misao quickly pulled out her cell phone again, thinking history was about to repeat itself and was about to warn Tamura-san. It was Ayano however that gently placed her hand on Misao's phone and stopped the eccentric girl from her preemptive strike.

With her usual cheery face and closed eyes, Ayano said, "Now, now. I know Kagami-san and she just wants to apologize to Tamura-san. It's been a rough couple of weeks for everyone in her family, you know, so she just wants to make peace so we can move on."

Misao slowly closed her phone and slipped it back into her skirt pocket. "If you say so. I guess that little blue-haired squirt was right after all. Hiiragi is a tsundere type and her shell is cracking."

Ayano giggled as she began to eat. She suddenly became serious when a thought occurred to her. "Do you think it's possible that Kagami-san is almost willing to take on the role of being the healer now that Tsukasa-san is taking on…well, _this_ role?"

Misao shrugged as she began eating obnoxiously loud through her bites before swallowing and replying. "Anything's possible. I guess we'll know for sure when Hiiragi leaves her cell phone in her pocket on laundry day or forgets her English textbook."

Ayano giggled again and continued to eat with her friend.

In the freshman halls, Hiyori was eating lunch with Minami and Yutaka. Despite continuing their tradition, the three girls were still uncomfortable with everything. Patty-chan was still absent from school recovering from Tsukasa's attack and when Minami described the incident in the nurse's office, it shook everyone to the core. Yutaka even had to fight back her own tears when she saw Patty-chan for the first time after the attack and what Tsukasa had done to her. Even though Tsukasa was the one who was raped and stripped of her innocence, Yutaka couldn't help but feel some of her naivety was lost too when she saw what humans are truly capable of when provoked. It made Yutaka question what she was capable of even if an air-headed, good natured klutz like Tsukasa could succumb to such horrors.

"Run, Tamura-san!" Someone in the class suddenly yelled, grabbing everyone's attention and everyone unexpectedly stood from their seats when they saw Kagami enter the room.

Kagami was expecting such a reaction as she entered and Hiyori abruptly stood along with Minami and Yutaka. Minami shielded Yutaka as the eerie silence fell upon the classroom and all eyes were on the two girls.

Kagami approached and with her eyes trembling with sorrow, she calmly said, "Can we talk outside, please?"

Hiyori was still defensive and didn't know what to expect but something was telling her not to worry. She knew of Tsukasa's expulsion just like everyone else and concluded that the Hiiragi family was on its last leg so Kagami couldn't afford anymore problems. Hiyori slowly nodded and followed Kagami outside the classroom while everyone watched with anticipation of another fight. Some even readied their camera phones as the first fight started and ended so quickly that they didn't have time to exploit it.

When they were outside, everyone listened for the screams and profanity followed by the sounds of physical assault. What they weren't expecting was to see the hard-nosed tsundere to let a tear fall from her eye as she delivered a heart-felt apology to Tamura-san. The two girls began to apologize to each other and their gibber-jabber became an avalanche of white noise as Tamura-san also released a tear.

Kagami went on to say she was sorry and how she felt so ashamed for taking such drastic actions against Tamura-san and that she never hated her. Hiyori did the exact same thing, only apologizing for making the perverse manga and that she never had a grudge against the Hiiragi family. It ended with the two girls collapsing into each other's arms and holding each other while some watched from the doorways. Yutaka was overjoyed by the sight while Minami held the petite girl close and also smiled for the sense of harmony and peace was restored.

If only it could have lasted longer. A teacher was forced to break up the restoration of friendship and inform Kagami that the principal needed to see her in his office immediately. Not knowing what she had done this time, Kagami and Hiyori buried the hatchet once and for all and left each other on a positive note as the oldest Hiiragi twin navigated through the school until she arrived to face the same principal who had recently expelled her sister. What the twin-tailed girl wasn't expecting was to see her oldest sister Inori standing with him and with a look of absolute despair.

"What's going on?" She asked as she entered the principal's office.

"Mom and dad called. Tsukasa is hurt and she needs a blood transfusion now!" Inori exhaled with growing emotions. "You're the only other person in the family with Type B blood so we need to go to the hospital now!"

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The massive iron doors at the ambulance's entrance to the local hospital violently swung open and three paramedics rushed a gurney into the hallway. One of the paramedics struggled to keep up while holding an IV bottle over the gurney connected to a tube that fed the medical liquid into a large needle stuck in Tsukasa's lifeless body. The other two medics pushed the gurney towards the ER as Miki and Tadao also ran behind their daughter's body.

"Do we still have a pulse?!" One of the paramedics exclaimed.

The second paramedic felt Tsukasa's neck and saw the wounded girl's breath fog the inside of the oxygen mask wrapped around her mouth. "We still have one but it's too weak to keep going much longer. We need the sister's blood _now_ or we'll lose Tsukasa again!"

Tadao restarted his daughter's heart once and he would do it again himself if he had to. Thinking back to when he performed CPR on Tsukasa on the bathroom floor and when he felt her breath enter her mouth and out her nose again, it renewed the gift of life to her. He and Miki were both still devastated that their youngest daughter tried to opt out on them and simply leave her body for them to find. While Tadao was scared, he couldn't help but think how selfish Tsukasa was to do that to them. Miki on the other hand continued to cry as she ran and couldn't see things for what they really were. Tsukasa was still in deep trouble.

The nurses stopped Tadao and Miki at the entrance of the ER as the paramedics plowed through the doors using the gurney and into the possession of the doctors, who were awaiting her arrival. The paramedics did their job at the Hiiragi home by stabilizing the dying girl and patching her wounds long enough to survive the ambulance ride to the hospital. While they had to wait for Kagami's arrival to give blood, the only thing the doctors could do was examine Tsukasa's wound and fix the damaged areas.

Tadao and Miki waited outside in the waiting room for Inori to bring Kagami. It was Miki that called Inori when she was in her college class to first break the news of Tsukasa's condition. When Inori was in class, her phone was on vibrate and she silenced it the first time, but she knew something was wrong when she checked it again five minutes later and saw she had ten missed calls with ten new voicemails, all from her mother.

"What do we do now, Tadao?" Miki asked as she bent over in her chair and covered her face with both hands. "What do we do now?"

With a stern and bitter face, Tadao turned to his wife and hissed, "How should I know? You're the one that knows best for _your_ daughter, not me, remember?"

Miki shot her head up from her hands, showing her leaking mess of a face to her husband and also had a vicious glare on her face. "How dare you! There's no way any of us could've predicted that she was going to do this! She just got out of jail and I thought all she would want was a hot meal and a hot bath!"

"Well she got a hot bath alright!" Tadao screamed back at his wife, drawing attention from others in the waiting room and some shifted away from the feuding couple. "And by the way, you lied to me! You went to the police station and got her out without so much as a phone call and, I'm assuming by writing a check from our joint account without my permission! On top of that, did you ever for one second consider Matsuri, Inori, or Kagami?! Are you so obsessed with Tsukasa that you're willing to sacrifice the safety of your other children?!"

"Tsukasa is still our child too damn it!" Miki cried with her fists clenched and she struggled to keep her balance as her throat scratched and her energy drained. "I gave birth to that child and she needs to be protected just like the rest of our children!"

"I'm just trying to protect you, Miki, and the others!" Tadao screamed again, attracting onlookers from the hallway. "I remember when we first met and I saw what situation you were living in! As I recall, you were in a similar situation as Tsukasa is and I said I would never let you suffer through that again!"

To Miki, her husband ripped open an old wound that she tried very hard every day to forget. It angered her so much that she didn't think her next attack on her husband through. "As I recall, Tsukasa was raped in _your_ shrine, Tadao! You're not much of a father or a man if you can't protect your own daughter on your own property so what makes you think you know how to protect me?!"

Tadao glared furiously and gritted his teeth while hyperventilating. Never in his entire marriage, or even in his worst nightmare, did he ever contemplate striking his wife across the face. That all changed with Miki's verbal assault on his manhood and his competency as a father. Did she honestly believe that Tadao didn't care enough about Tsukasa that he would purposely let his guard down so she could become a sex toy for four savages? Whatever was going on in Miki's head, Tadao knew it wasn't the mind of the woman he fell in love with more than twenty years ago and decided to have a big family with. He feared Miki was reverting back to her pre-marriage days, to the days where she too, was a victim, but in a different way.

"We're here!" A new voice called as it arrived in the waiting room.

Tadao and Miki turned and saw Inori and Kagami rush into the hospital's waiting room and the sight of them abruptly extinguished the flames of the married couple's fight. Kagami was already rolling up the sleeve of her uniform, showing she was ready for the nurses to take her blood for her sister. Inori and Kagami were still completely oblivious as to why Tsukasa was in the hospital to begin with but decided not to ask until later. At the moment, a more pressing matter was at hand as Miki took Kagami to the nurse's station for the blood withdraw.

When Kagami and Miki were out of sight, Inori confronted her father. "Dad, what's going on? Mom was screaming over the phone that Tsukasa was hurt and to bring Kagami to the hospital for her blood."

Tadao ran his hand across his head and through his hair as he continued to breathe deep, trying to calm himself after what Miki had the audacity to say. He shook it off for Inori's sake and told her. "Your…your sister tried to commit suicide. She slit her wrist in the bathtub with a razor."

Inori quickly covered her mouth with both hands and presented a look of pure horror as she shook her head. "No…no…that can't be true." She wheezed.

Tadao nodded and quickly hugged his oldest daughter, who also returned the embrace. "It's true, Inori. I found her in the bathtub myself. Your mother bailed her out of jail and she came home and did it there."

Inori quit the hug and pulled back while fishing for her cell phone in her purse. "I should call Matsuri. She should be here, too."

Kagami closed her eyes and suddenly felt the sharp pinch of the needle entering her skin and sliding into her vein. Opening her eyes again, she watched the red liquid of life flow from her arm, through the medical tube, and into a collection pouch with "B" written on the bag. She continued to breathe steadily while still trying to piece together everything that had just happened. Only half an hour ago she was at school and making peace with her friend and now, her sister's life was hanging in the balance. When the procedure was over for Kagami, Miki decided to tell her oldest twin what happened.

Kagami's innards continued to do flips nearly an hour after when her mother told her of her sister's sin. As a miko herself, she knew suicide was a sin, just like in every other religion and this was killing everyone in the family. Still, the only thing they could do was just sit and wait while the doctors continued to work. It was when the clock struck 2:00 pm that Kagami realized the irony in where she and her family were sitting. They were sitting in the same waiting room in the same hospital where they took Tsukasa that fateful New Year's Eve.

A familiar doctor suddenly emerged through the hospital doors to deliver the news to the Hiiragi family. An older doctor with white hair and a white mustache and wrinkles across his aged face walked out with a clipboard. His face was very familiar to the Hiiragi family as he was responsible for birthing all four of Tadao and Miki's daughters.

"Dr. Hirukawa, sir, it's good to see you again," Miki said weakly with an appropriate bow and her family followed her lead.

The elder doctor returned the bow and held the clipboard containing Tsukasa's condition to his eyes. "We should all consider ourselves lucky, Hiiragi family. Tsukasa-san's condition is stable and her body is recovering, thanks to Kagami-san's blood. If Kagami-san would've arrived only ten minutes later, we wouldn't have been able to save Tsukasa-san."

The Hiiragi family began to breathe again and Miki quickly hugged her husband, putting aside their earlier quarrel and Tadao comforted her. Inori patted Kagami on the shoulders and hugged her tight to congratulate her for saving Tsukasa's life. Their celebrations were short-lived however.

"There are still two more issues we need to address. We did lose Tsukasa in the ER when her heart stopped again, but that time it wasn't due to her loss of blood. We discovered that Tsukasa-san is dangerously malnourished and her organs were on the brink of shutting down." Dr. Hirukawa added. "It's clear to us that Tsukasa has developed an eating disorder and we've already inserted feeding tubes into her stomach to reverse the damage."

Tadao remembered seeing his daughter's graphic ribcage hugging her tight body when he lifted her out of the bathtub. She looked like a war refugee and it gutted him emotionally when he performed CPR on her and could only feel bones.

"We had no idea," Miki cried again.

Dr. Hirukawa nodded and knew the Hiiragi family was sincere as he had known them for years. "The second issue is that Tsukasa-san tried to commit suicide and under law, we have to keep her here for at least one twenty-four hour psychiatric watch."

"I agree," Tadao quickly stated.

Hearing this abruptly ended the fragile peace Miki had with her husband and she quickly pushed him away. Her emotions flared again as she protested with the doctor. "She's still a minor and I'm her mother! Only I can grant such an outrageous request!"

"Mom!" Kagami and Inori exclaimed in an attempt to quiet their mother.

"I understand how you feel, Miki-san. However, this is out of my hands. If I allow Tsukasa to leave this hospital now, I will lose my medical license and be subject to criminal law." Dr. Hirukawa said through his aged voice. "I helped you give birth to this girl and I know how you feel. I have a son as you know and I know what it feels like to want to protect them from _everything_. When I saw Tsukasa for the first time, it was love at first sight for me too. She's a beautiful young woman that was dealt a very unfair set of circumstances that nobody deserves."

Miki found herself nodding with the family doctor and for once decided to concede, at least in a mainstream sense. Was she going to let Tsukasa stay in the hospital? Yes. Was she going to leave the hospital for any reason during that twenty-four hour stretch of time? There was no chance in hell.

Dr. Hirukawa escorted the ailing family into the sleeping Tsukasa's hospital room and they saw her for the first time. Her skin complexion was returning as her sister's blood was restoring her life. The beeps of the medical machinery attached to Tsukasa continued to sound across the room while the youngest Hiiragi twin rested on her bed with an oxygen mask still over her mouth. Her right wrist was wrapped in a thick and specialized cast that not only covered her wound but also kept the veins in her wrist flowing in the right direction as they were deeply severed in the cut. Other tubes were attached to Tsukasa's abdomen that allowed a flow of nutrients into her stomach to help restore her nutrition.

Miki took a familiar seat on Tsukasa's left side and held her undamaged left hand in hers and continued to sob. The Hiiragi family spent the rest of the hospital's official visiting hours with Tsukasa, even though she didn't wake from her slumber. Matsuri joined them later though didn't do the fragile family any favors by displaying her usual masculine attributes in her exhibit of rage. She was still dreadfully concerned for Tsukasa but, like a lot of the Hiiragi family members, was at the end of her rope in dealing with the troubled twin.

By 6:00 pm that night, Miki had to admit that she was starving. She hadn't eaten anything since breakfast that morning when she returned to sweeping the shattered china, followed by bailing Tsukasa out, and staying with her for the rest of the day at the hospital. Dr. Hirukawa extended his shift at the hospital that night because he knew something about the bizarre connection between Miki and Tsukasa that was being hid from the rest of the family and he wanted to talk to Tsukasa about it. He was stepping out of professional line to do it, but he cared too much about the Hiiragi family to let them sink like this. Hirukawa was finally able to convince Miki to go to the cafeteria and eat something while he promised to stay with Tsukasa.

When the distraught Hiiragi housewife finally complied, she slowly left the hospital room and Dr. Hirukawa closed the door behind her. No sooner did the door shut, Tsukasa's voice asked, "Is she gone?"

Hirukawa turned and saw Tsukasa was still on her back with her eyes closed and he replied, "Yes she is."

Tsukasa's eyes suddenly shot open again and she slowly sat up and stretched. "Thank god. I don't know how much longer I would've been able to keep up that sleeping act."

"You've been faking it since 3:30, Tsukasa-san. Nearly three hours of that is quite impressive." Hirukawa informed her as he wrote in his clipboard.

"How do you know?" Tsukasa groaned in pain from her healing wrist.

"Your breathing changed at that time from slow and continuous, to deeper and more sporadic." The doctor said and finished writing on the clipboard and placed it aside. He pulled a chair closer to Tsukasa and began his own one-on-one with the youngest Hiiragi twin. "Why would you do such a thing to yourself, Tsukasa-san? You had the cutest wrists."

Tsukasa rested her body back on the bed and turned away. "I don't want to live anymore. I just want to be free from this shit that haunts me every day and every night. And to be free from my crazy family."

Hirukawa nodded slowly. "I see. You think your family is crazy, do you?"

Tsukasa turned back to him. "You saw my mother. She's lost her mind."

"And why do you think that is?" Hirukawa asked deeply. "Could it have anything to do with the fact that her youngest daughter was raped and she feels guilty? Could it also have something to do with the fact that her youngest daughter is on a self-destructive path? Could it also have something to do with the fact that her youngest daughter tried to kill herself in her own home?"

Tsukasa glared at him and turned away again. "Go to hell. You don't know me. You could never help me and neither can they. You're just wasting your breath, old man."

"Have you ever tried letting them?"

Tsukasa shook her head violently. "The last time I let someone in my life, I ended up with man-meant penetrating every hole in my body."

Hirukawa closed his eyes and sighed. He knew Tsukasa was saying graphic and outlandish things to keep everyone away from her. He's seen it before in his history as a doctor, which prompted him to give his next speech.

"You know, Tsukasa-san, as you can obviously tell, I'm a very old man and I've worked in this hospital for many years. I helped your mother give birth to your sisters and to you. Your father also performed my son's marriage so I know your family very well." Dr. Hirukawa said and suddenly said something that, at first seemed random. "How familiar are you with baseball, Tsukasa-san?"

Tsukasa turned back again with a puzzled face. "What the hell are you talking about, Hirukawa?"

"You're a smart girl so I'll assume you know the basic 'three strikes and you're out' concept, so that'll allow me to get straight to my point." Dr. Hirukawa said. "I was a little boy when the war with America ended and the soldiers began playing friendship games with local communities around Tokyo. We already had baseball in Japan at that time, but we knew that there was something incredible and telling about the game and how it connected our two nations. We believed that baseball was birthed by the essence of the human soul and the game can even predict our destinies. When I began working at this hospital, I met _many_ people in similar situations as yours, Tsukasa-san. They were good and innocent people until they were dealt a bad hand. But when those innocent souls began to chose a life of self-destruction and angst, that's when their strikes would begin. The first strike would be their first close-call with death, their second strike would be their second close-call with death."

Hirukawa suddenly paused and wondered if Tsukasa was still listening to him as all he could see was the back of her black hair. He tested it by standing and saying. "Good talk. I'll let you get your rest."

As he walked out, Tsukasa's voice suddenly asked, "What happens after the second strike?"

Hirukawa froze and slowly turned back to her. "After the third strike, we believe that person has a divine experience and must make a choice. The gods will show them their entire life again and grant them one more chance on Earth to rekindle their ways if they're sincere, but if they choose not to, three strikes and they're out. They die."

A long pause settled between Hirukawa and Tsukasa until the troubled Hiiragi twin said, "So this is my second strike?"

"I wouldn't say that. The reason you arrived for the first time in this hospital wasn't your fault. However, this second time is, so I believe that _this_ is your first strike, Tsukasa-san. It's just something to think about." Hirukawa added.

Another haunting silence fell upon them for more than a minute until Tsukasa said with her back still turned to the doctor, "Don't let my mom back in here. I don't want to talk to anybody anymore."

Hirukawa, who still had his hand on the doorknob, slowly let go and turned back to her. "I'm not going to keep Miki away from her daughter, Tsukasa-san. Let me ask you something; how much do you truly know about your mother or her past?"

Tsukasa searched her memory and responded, still with her back facing the doctor. "She and my dad have been married for twenty-five years, she chose not to go to college and is a stay-at-home mom, she's not as religious as my dad but still helps with our shrine, she has an older brother who is my uncle and her parents separated when she was little and—"

"Stop right there," Hirukawa commanded and retook his seat next to Tsukasa. "You have an uncle that you haven't seen in years, same with two grandparents on your mother's side. Why is that?"

Tsukasa once again searched her memory and honestly couldn't remember much about her uncle or her grandparents. She remembered one Christmas many years ago when they were considering having Miki's and Tadao's family come together at the shrine for the holiday but it never happened. It was also the same Christmas that Tsukasa received her first miko outfit and when she danced with her father in the Kagura-den.

"I don't know," Tsukasa eventually replied. "I always thought it was because they live in Nagasaki and we live in Saitama. But then again, isn't that normal? Doesn't everyone have parents that leave out details about their life to their kids for one reason or another?"

Hirukawa nodded slowly. "Did you know that your grandfather would hit your grandmother and also hit your mother on a daily basis when she was little?"

Tsukasa's eyes nearly shot out of her head upon hearing the revelation. She nearly spun around in shock but still remained firm.

"That's right, Tsukasa-san. Your mother grew up in a very abusive household. Your uncle was constantly in and out of jail for one reason or another whether it was theft, assault, joyriding, soliciting prostitutes, you name it." Hirukawa added in his aging voice. "Your mother never knew what true love felt like until she met your father and when she had you and your sisters. When you were arrested for that domestic dispute, it gutted your mother mentally and she couldn't stand to have another family member in jail or have a repeat of her childhood, so she went to _extreme_ measures to get the bail money for you. Your mother in a way still blames herself for being a victim and believes that she was to blame for her abuse, so she thinks she's stopping history from repeating itself."

Tsukasa remained silent with her back still turned. "Why are you telling me all of this? Are you my goddamn shrink now?"

Hirukawa shook his head. "I know it's unorthodox and unprofessional of me, but I see what your behavior is doing to your family, Tsukasa-san. You may have been raped and you may be a victim in this madness, but you're creating more victims as well. I care deeply about you and your family and it pains me to see you do this to yourself. I should also ask…why were you taking LSD?"

Tsukasa's eyes went big again and her heart pounded, which Hirukawa saw in the heart-rate monitor's excessive beeping on the screen, making it a perfect lie-detector test as he continued. "When we were about to do the blood transfusion, your blood work came back positive for LSD, among others including marijuana and three different types of narcotics."

Tsukasa glared with the back of her head still facing her old doctor. "Guess it goes without saying that you're not going to write any kind of prescription for me."

Hirukawa huffed. "You're right, but only because I cannot write a prescription for rationality."

This angered the youngest Hiiragi twin and she quickly turned to face him with a piercing glare. "You think you're so smart, don't you."

"I guess you could say that. The Medical Board also thought so, which I guess explains why they decided to give me a medical license and let me keep it for nearly forty years." Hirukawa sharply replied and Tsukasa turned away again as the elder doctor stood to leave again. "Your mother should be back soon. I'll tell her you're awake."

As Dr. Hirukawa stood and was about to leave the room, Tsukasa spoke again. "Did my mom tell you what she did to get the bail money for me?"

Hearing the question froze the doctor again in his steps and he stood with his back still facing Tsukasa, though she wasn't looking at him either. He sighed again only more deeply and replied, "You're mother loves you _very _much, Tsukasa. She loves you so much that she's willing to sacrifice her marriage to your father if it comes to that, even go to jail for you. If I were you, I would do your part and shape up before you arrive back at this hospital with your second strike."

With that, Dr. Hirukawa shuffled out of the room, leaving only Tsukasa, the beeping medical equipment her only company.

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Back at the Hiiragi household, dead silence plagued the family as they finished eating dinner. Inori and Matsuri worked together in the kitchen to clean the dishes, Kagami sat upstairs in her room doing her homework, while Tadao still sat at the dinner table, trapped in deep thought. His mind was a whirlpool of thoughts regarding the ongoing family strife. He thought about the fight he had with Miki back at the hospital, Tsukasa's condition, Miki's past, but something else was bothering him.

Before dinner, he had paged through the family checkbook and tried to find the missing check that Miki used to bail Tsukasa out. It never existed. Miki never used a check to spring Tsukasa, nor did she withdraw a single yen from the family's bank account. He checked his online banking account to also confirm and it showed that not a single cent of the family's treasure left the vault. Miki got the money from somewhere else…but where?

His concentration was suddenly broken when the phone rang and he allowed his daughters to keep working as he stood and answered it. "Hiiragi residence."

"Hello may I speak with Hiiragi Tadao, please?" A voice asked on the other side.

"Speaking." Tadao replied.

"Good evening, sir. This is Detective Maniwa calling, I'm the officer in charge with the arson investigation of your shrine." The policeman said.

"Yes, Detective Maniwa, it's good to hear from you again." Tadao said and sat down. Hearing the policeman's name caught the attention of Inori and Matsuri as they stopped cleaning and turned to their father as he spoke again. "Did you find out who is responsible for burning the shrine down?"

"Actually, sir, I'm calling with regards to another issue." Detective Maniwa said. "It regards your daughter's rapists. The ones who are still at large."

Tadao leaned forward in anticipation. "You found them?"

Silence was on the other end until Detective Maniwa spoke again. "Yes, we did. We found their bodies hanging from a bridge just outside of town. They're dead, sir."


	10. The Mother's World

CHAPTER 10

THE MOTHER'S WORLD

_She tucked herself tighter into a human ball as the horror continued to unfold just outside her barricaded door as she hid under the covers of her bed. Only two hours ago, Miki Shimizu was free and walking the streets of Tokyo, but upon her return home, her first task was to duck as an empty whiskey bottle flew past her head and shattered against the wall. It was followed by a barrage of verbal assaults from her father, and then he grabbed her by her hair and smacked her across the face countless times. Why? All because she was ten minutes late._

_ Because she was ten minutes late, her father had it in his mind that his daughter was sleeping around or seeing that so-called religious wacko named Hiiragi again. That young man, who charmed everyone he met and spoke of religious tolerance and goodwill among all humans, was deeply hated by Miki's father, Keisuke Shimizu. He forbade her to see him, but not even Miki was immune to the young man's charm. As a result, Keisuke beat her, as well as her mother, Hikari. _

_ "I swear I didn't know she was going to see him again! I wouldn't have let her leave the home!" Hikari cried but vocalized her pain louder when Keisuke smacked her across the face and Miki heard the heart-wrenching scene unfold just outside her door as her mother continued to cry. "Darling, please, it hurts! I didn't mean—"_

_ "Shut up, bitch!" Keisuke yelled, following it up with another callous smack against his wife. "You think you can lie to me?! I know everything about you and everywhere both you and the girl go! You cannot escape me!"_

_ He continued beating his wife without mercy as she cried for help from anybody who could hear her. Miki, frozen in fear, could only let more tears fall from her eyes as she tried to tuck herself tighter while shielding her ears of the horrid noise. The pain from her father's smacks still stung her cheek. She wanted to join her mother in her cry for help but it would only make her father storm her room and beat her more. If only she had an older sibling to come to her aid that would love her and protect her. Instead, she had her brother, Itou Shimizu. Itou was also missing from the broken household, though he was probably going to spend another night sleeping on a park bench or under a bridge smoking crack or snorting whatever he could find. _

_Itou was less than useless in defending his baby sister. He didn't care about anyone but himself or when and where he was going to get his next high. Itou, though not that physically impressive, was taller and skinny with no muscle mass to him with poorly groomed facial hair and messy brown hair that always had dirt and dust in it. His eyes were always blood-shot from his drug addictions and his speech was slurred most of the time but he knew how to be aggressive if something was preventing him from getting high. _

_ What made Miki's situation worse were the levels of extreme her brother would go to just for a thimble-full of crack. As Miki rested her injured self on her bed and wished for a rescuer, she remembered a time when her brother stormed her room and was on the brink of withdraw from the lack of drugs. He put a knife to her throat and ordered her to take off her most prized possession, a diamond ring given to her by her grandmother, Hikari's mother. She had owned a jewelry shop for many years. It was one of her only memories of her late grandmother, and Itou pawned it for drugs. Other times included him stealing money from her purse, and even, on one particular night of desperation, stealing her cosmetics and using the chemicals to get high._

_ She wished she would die as she rethought her whole life while curled on her bed and her life began to replay for her up until now. Her father hated her, her mother was a victim herself and over twenty years of abusive marriage to Keisuke had completely broken her will to escape, and her brother only saw her as an ATM. Why was this happening to her? Miki was never a bad child. She always did well in school despite having no support, she had friends, and she still tried her best every day to keep an upbeat attitude, even when her father would put her in the hospital. Whenever the police got involved, Hikari would always talk her daughter out of pressing charges or seeking help, even when Miki was little. Despite the abuse, Keisuke was able to crawl inside Hikari's mind and make her believe that neither she nor her children could survive without him. He was manipulative and monstrous like that. Even when Miki turned twenty-years-old, she still couldn't leave home. She had no money, she couldn't find a job because she couldn't go to school as her father thought it was a waste of money, and he always said Miki was too stupid for college anyway._

_ She never knew love, but she learned fear at an early age. Keisuke's parents died in a car accident unexpectedly, prompting him to take up drinking, which unleashed his inner demons. Miki remembered the first time he saw him hit her mother. It was at dinner one night and Hikari accidently dropped a bowl of rice onto the floor, making a mess. It set off Keisuke like a bomb, making him grab Hikari by her neck and he began hitting her as six-year-old Miki could only watch in terror. At the time, twelve-year-old Itou was spending the night in jail for shoplifting._

_ The horrors for Miki never ended. The abuse continued on her mother until she was a teenager and up until then, she thought her mother endured everything for her. When Miki was thirteen and she was alone with her mother one day, she confronted her on the issue._

_ "Mama, why don't we leave? Divorce him and we can go far, far away from here. I can work part-time after school and help you." She said to Hikari as she folded her husband's laundry as her hands trembled, knowing that if there was one wrinkle, it would mean physical consequences for her._

_ "It's okay, Miki," Hikari muttered. "I'll be okay. Your father…is just stressed…from work. He works very hard to provide for us. I'm the one that needs to be a better wife."_

_ It was later that night that Hikari suffered more abuse at the hands of Keisuke. He found a wrinkle. Even though Miki was a teenager, her mind was growing and she was smart enough to know that what was happening to her mother was criminal. She confronted her father. She stood from the dinner table with an attitude and called Keisuke a coward. Only cowards hit women. He didn't take too kindly to it. Keisuke overturned the dinner table and threw the food everywhere as he charged Miki, grabbed the young girl, and threw her against the wall. It knocked the wind out of her fragile body and as she recovered, Keisuke put his face inches from hers._

_ "You little bitch! You're just like your mother with that attitude of yours! Don't you dare say that to me again or you'll find yourself out in the streets with the fucking rats eating your flesh!" Keisuke yelled as Miki continued to cry for mercy and for her mother. "Do you understand me, Miki Shimizu?!"_

_ Miki desperately searched for salvation as she shifted her eyes around the room and found her mother watching everything from a doorway. When Hikari saw her daughter's eyes were crying to her for help, she did the unexpected. Miki's heart sank and all hope turned to dust when she saw her mother tear up, turn, and run away, leaving Miki to fend for herself. Miki released more tears from her eyes as she quickly agreed with her father._

_ Keisuke dropped Miki and pushed her to the floor where she landed in the spoiled food. "Now clean it all up! If that floor isn't spotless by the time I get back, by belt will be across your back!"_

_ He stomped out of the room, leaving the devastated Miki alone as she tried to clean up the mess her father left for her. She found herself not only cleaning the food, but also her tears as they landed in front of her with every cry. It was this incident that taught Miki two lessons. The first was to never talk back to her father ever again, and the second was the most heartbreaking. Her mother wasn't going to be there for her when she would need her. Miki Shimizu was alone._

_ It continued like this every day for many more years. It only got worse for her when she entered high school and all her friends distanced themselves from her. They didn't want to be associated with such drama that wasn't letting up and Miki only felt more isolated. Throughout high school, Miki was always the girl that sat alone in lunch, that no one would talk to, that no one wanted to get involved with. It wasn't because they hated her or thought poorly of her, but because they were cowards themselves, just like Keisuke. _

_ One spring day, Miki sat on a park bench alone and cried again. She was at the end of her rope and was contemplating suicide, maybe by cutting her wrists in the bathtub that night. Maybe by throwing herself from the top of a building. She couldn't decide. As she sniffled and wiped her tears, an unfamiliar voice suddenly spoke to her._

_ "Excuse me, miss, but are you all right?" The male's voice asked and she turned towards it._

_ There before her stood a young man with light black hair and brown eyes with a darker skin complexion than hers. He was dressed in a nice buttoned shirt with pressed pants and a satchel around his shoulder as he slowly approached her with a clear look of concern on his face._

_ Miki quickly dried her eyes and tried in vain to make herself look presentable. "Yes, yes, I'm fine."_

_ "You certainly don't look fine," he said. "Is that a bruise on your cheek? Did someone hit you?"_

_ Miki shook her head as fast as she could and became temperamental. "No, nobody hit me! Leave me alone!"_

_ The man ignored the command and continued to approach her. "You're hurt. Come on, let me take you to the doctor to get that looked at."_

_ "I said no!" Miki shrieked as she shot up from her seat on the bench and stood before the young man with her arms folded across her abdomen as if she was cold. The man took another step towards her and she suddenly took a weak swing at him as she yelled, "Stay away from me!"_

_ The young man continued to disregard the delirious Miki's orders and stepped forward again. "I'm not going until you let me help you, miss."_

_ Miki continued to put up a strong and even violent front as she took another weak swing at the approaching helper, only to have her wrist grabbed by him. It sent Miki into a frenzy as she tried to use her other arm but it too was captured by him and the young distraught woman continued to thrash and squeal for him to release her. He wouldn't let her go. Instead, he let her ride it out since he could tell the poor girl was nearly drained of energy. It only took another minute until Miki slowed down and collapsed to her knees._

_ The young man continued to hold her by the wrists and he kneeled to the ground with her. Miki couldn't hold it in anymore and she began crying loudly as she grasped the man's shirt sleeves in an attempt to feel human warmth again. He released Miki's wrists and slowly pulled her close as she continued to cry. Through her cries and gasps for air, Miki spoke again._

_ "I'm so stupid…I'm so weak…I'm the worst…" Miki wanted to shout these things but lacked the energy as she couldn't even stand on her own anymore. "Please…don't bother with me…leave me here to die…"_

_ The young man shook his head. "I cannot and will not do that. I'm taking you to the doctor."_

_ Miki looked up at him, her eyes endless waterfalls at this point. "Why…? Why are you being so kind to me?"_

_ "You're in trouble and you need help. I'm just doing my duty as a human." He said. "Please, let me help you. I promise you I will not leave you or hurt you in anyway. I just want to help."_

_ Miki continued to sniff and wipe her eyes. She was still reluctant but finally agreed as the young man stood and offered his hand to hers. She gently grasped it and he pulled her to her feet and said, "My name is Hiiragi. Tadao Hiiragi."_

_ Miki sniffed again and replied, "I'm Shimizu…Miki Shimizu."_

_ Tadao smiled and made a bold move of wiping one of Miki's tears away from her eyes and said, "I knew it, your name really is as pretty as your face is."_

_ The distraught young woman couldn't help but form a fragile smile across her face. Tadao escorted her to a nearby hospital and even waited there with her. She said that she was fine and that he had already done more than enough. Still, Tadao refused to leave her until he was certain that she was given a clean bill of health by the doctors. It was determined by them that it was blunt physical trauma that resulted in Miki's bruise._

_ When she was released later that day, Tadao knew that Miki was dealt an incredibly bad hand and that she didn't deserve such treatment. Tadao was nearly done with school and was studying to be a priest to one day take over his family's shrine in Saitama. Miki didn't know much about religion, but one thing she did know was that Tadao was definitely different from other men. She harbored a slight fear of them because of her abusive father, but Tadao Hiiragi was beginning to crack that shell._

_ As Tadao escorted her home, Tadao asked if she was going to be okay, which Miki revealed her talent of a charming smile and nodded. Either way, Tadao gave Miki his phone number if she was ever in trouble or needed to talk, no matter what time of day it was, he was there to listen. Miki kept trying to assure him that everything was okay but she took the number regardless. When Tadao left and Miki was back in her home, she suddenly felt a new sensation. Her palms sweated and her heart palpated in her chest as she thought about her rescuer again. She had never felt such a thing before and wondered if it was this thing called love. She had heard of it before, but never knew the feeling. Whatever it was…she liked it and she wanted more._

_ It was only two days later that Miki called Tadao for the first time just to talk. Her father and her brother were in a fight and it resulted in black eyes and broken noses and she was stressed after being forced to clean the blood and teeth from the kitchen floor. After Tadao found her two days earlier, she found herself in a better state of mind and was calmer and that's what she sought from him today. As she talked, her heart suddenly leaped into her throat when Tadao asked if she wanted to meet for dinner to talk about it. She agreed._

_ It was never meant to be a first date but it just turned out that way. Instead of talking about Miki's depraved home life, they spent the entire dinner getting to know each other. They laughed and joked together and had a great time as Miki felt these new feelings for the kind-hearted religious man becoming stronger. Tadao on the other hand found himself becoming more and more interested in the petite young woman. She wouldn't be considered "valuable" by society from an educational standpoint, but he saw her as a diamond in the rough. He could see that Miki had an unprecedented talent for caring about others and had so much love in her heart, but regrettably her heart was plagued with fear. What Miki needed more than anything was to get out of her current home life and move on._

_ When their date was over, Tadao walked Miki back to her home and Miki made the bold move of kissing the young man on his cheek. She thanked him very much for the wonderful night and that she wanted to do it again. Tadao too was satisfied with the night and wanted to be graced by the young woman's company again and promised to call her. When Miki walked into her dark house after Tadao departed, she felt a hostile hand wrap around her mouth, prompting her to scream but the hand muffled her outburst and the light came on, showing her father held her._

_ "Where the hell were you?! Who the hell was that?!" He yelled at her as he released her and forced her against another wall. "Have you been doing things with that boy? Were you spreading your legs for some random man?!"_

_ "No…! No daddy! I promise I didn't do any—" she tried to make her case but Keisuke slapped her across her face, ripping a part of her lip open and drawing blood._

_ "Don't you dare lie to me you little slut! You're just like your worthless mother!" Keisuke shouted in her face. "Get your ass to your room and if I see it again tonight, I'm gonna kick it until it falls off!" _

_ Miki quickly scurried away and hid herself in her room. She fell asleep that night to the sounds of her father beating her mother yet again for Miki's date with Tadao. She thought that she was going to one day die because of this life she lived, but little did she know that there was a strength dwelling within her that couldn't be measured. She defied her father's demand for her to never see Tadao again and she continued to go on more dates with him. Sometimes she would make it home safe while other times, she would get caught and suffer the consequences. Still, Keisuke Shimizu couldn't break his daughter's spirit as her love for Tadao Hiiragi grew._

_ Miki Shimizu suddenly awoke from her quasi-slumber. She was still curled into a human ball and hidden under her bed's covers as her father continued to smack, punch, and strangle his wife. Miki's face still hurt from her father's earlier assault and as she rethought everything in her mind, a thought suddenly exploded in her mind. She wasn't going to take this shit anymore. With quick actions, she pulled a small traveler's bag out from under her bed and began to pack only the necessities. A few clothes mostly filled the bag and she opened her bedroom window and dropped the bag out and watched it fall from the second story of the house. She wished she could simply jump out too but there was nothing to grab onto and jumping would only result in injury. She had no choice but to go out the front door and through the fighting._

_ She opened her door and saw the violent scene continue to unfold as Keisuke spat in his wife's face as she trembled on the ground while covering her head. He held an empty whiskey bottle in his hand as he swayed back and forth in his drunken stupor and he eventually released the bottle and it rolled towards Miki. She snatched it, hid it behind her back, and she knew she had no choice but to make her presence known as she stepped out of her room and closed her door, grabbing her father's attention._

_ "I thought I told you to stay in there until I'm done with your mother!" Keisuke yelled. "Get back in there and wait your turn, cunt!"_

_ Miki was scared but searched deep within herself to find the strength she knew she had. She stood firm and shifted the muscles in her face to form a glare as piercing as her father's and readied for a fight. "Go to hell, you worthless piece of shit! You think it's manly to hit a woman, especially your own wife and daughter?! You're nothing!"_

_ The outburst sent Keisuke into a frenzy as he screamed and charged towards his daughter with the intention of strangling her until she died. When her father was in range, Miki made her move. Using all the strength in her body, Miki swung the empty bottle around and smashed it across her father's face, shattering it and sending broken shards into his eyes, ears, mouth, and face. It drew blood and knocked him to the floor and to Miki's surprise, her father began to cry like a baby as he held his bleeding face as his daughter slipped past him._

_ Miki tried to take her mother with but Hikari made her decision. With her mind completely warped, Hikari scuttled over to the bleeding Keisuke and tried to comfort him. It was the final display Miki needed to see to know that her mother was never going to come to her senses and that she would always chose her abuser over her own daughter. It pained Miki to do it, but she abruptly left the abusive household, grabbed her bag, and fled to the only man she could trust._

_ Despite the fact that Miki showed up at his apartment's doorstep past midnight, Tadao took her in with open arms. The two lived with each other ever since. The two took it slow initially because of the fragile state Miki was in, but it didn't take long until the two young people cemented their love for each other after Tadao's graduation with their wedding. Tadao's family loved Miki instantly and after she moved to Saitama, she never stopped smiling._

_ Two years after Miki and Tadao took up residence at the shrine in Saitama, Tadao returned home one day and found his wife in the kitchen cooking a big meal for the both of them as she said it was a special night. When their dinner was over, Miki stood, walked over to her husband, took his hand, and placed it on her stomach. With the same smile, she said the line that started it all. "I'm pregnant."_

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Miki Hiiragi awoke from her slumber after reliving her life before her daughters. She was curled in a chair in Tsukasa's hospital room with a spare blanket wrapped around her as she stirred and suddenly spotted Tsukasa sitting up and awake in her hospital bed. Her youngest daughter had a puzzled look across her face as she observed her mother.

Miki formed her trademark smile and stood as she took the blanket off. "Did you put this blanket on me?"

Tsukasa was quick to respond with hostility. "No. Dr. Hirukawa came in a few hours ago and put it on you when you fell asleep. You were talking in your sleep."

"Really? What did I say?" Miki asked, trying to stay positive.

"Enough for me to conclude that you're a dirty liar." Tsukasa snapped.

The hostile response shocked Miki and she slowly approached Tsukasa. "Wh…what do you mean, dear?"

"Your parents never divorced each other, did they?" Tsukasa asked, making her mother raise her eyebrows and show signs of stress. "You told us that they simply lived too far away and couldn't travel. I blame myself though for not seeing it sooner and not asking more questions. Dr. Hirukawa told me about them and how you were beaten by grandpa."

Miki knew she was in a corner as she sighed. "You're right, dear. That was all a lie. My parents are still together regrettably in Nagasaki, my mother is still most likely a victim. But that's why I've been trying so hard to keep you away from _any_ danger or any other problems since you were attacked on New Year's. I went through a lot to get your bail money and—"

Tsukasa narrowed her eyes before interrupting. "I know. Hirukawa told me _everything_."

Miki's expression changed again from stressed to panic as she breathed hard and clutched her heart. "You…you…you know?"

Tsukasa had no clue how her mother got the bail money for her but either way, she was about to conduct her greatest gamble. The youngest Hiiragi twin thought her freedom hung in the balance, thus motivating her by any means necessary. "I know where you got that money…and what would dad say if he found out?"

Miki's heart pounded harder and her knees began to quake as she felt nothing but fear as she stared at her youngest daughter, who still had a lifeless and stone-cold face. "Tsukasa…why would you say such terrible things? If you know…then you also know what your father would do if he found out. I could never come home. I would have nowhere to go."

"You could go back to Nagasaki." Tsukasa snarled bitterly. "But then again, I might be more reasonable than you think."

Still fighting her panic, Miki said, "What do you want, Tsukasa?"

"Dr. Hirukawa recommended that the hospital admits me as an inpatient and enroll me in a psychological program for suicidal freaks and weirdos." Tsukasa hissed. "I'll be damned if I'm gonna spend any amount of time in the funny farm so you, mother, will get me out of here."

Miki stared at her troubled daughter and weighed all her solutions and outcomes. What was she to do? Her own daughter was blackmailing her and this was a very serious matter. For Miki, it meant life or death if her husband found out where the money came from. Surely he was becoming suspicious by now and sooner or later deeper questions would be asked. At the moment, Miki had no choice but to sign her release papers and allow Tsukasa to leave the hospital. It would buy her time to try and figure out a way to distract Tadao from the financial situation and hopefully allow more time for her to replace the "borrowed" money.


	11. The Darkness

CHAPTER 11

THE DARKNESS

Tadao Hiiragi sat alone inside one of the police station's interrogation rooms. It was the same station where his daughter spent the other night and now, it was the same station where more news regarding Tsukasa's case was awaiting him. He waited for Detective Maniwa to return with more information as the only sound that kept him company was the sound of the ticking clock in the room.

The door suddenly opened and the detective stepped in with a cup of coffee in one hand and several files in the other. He closed the door, approached Tadao, and placed the cup in front of him and said, "No sugar and a little cream just as you asked, sir."

Tadao nodded to Maniwa and thanked him as he took a sip of the hot beverage.

"Not a problem, Hiiragi-san." Maniwa replied and took a seat across from Tadao and opened the folders. "Okay, this is what we've got according to the official report and the mortician. Earlier this morning, a couple was out jogging in Saitama Central Park on one of the running tracks next to the Arakawa River when they approached a bridge. They saw three entities dangling from the bridge and when they got closer, they identified them as three humans who had hanged themselves and they immediately called 119."

Tadao gulped upon hearing of the suicides. Even though these young men were scum for doing such horrible and unholy things to his daughter, he still saw them as human beings as Maniwa continued.

"When our men arrived at the scene and pulled their bodies back up, we identified them as the missing three accomplices who raped your daughter. After we searched their clothes, it turned out that they were very regretful about the crime they committed." Maniwa added and fingered through some of the files. He retrieved three lengthy handwritten notes from each person wrapped in protective sleeves and slid them in front of Tadao. "These are their suicide notes and they're genuine. One of our other detectives who specializes in handwriting analysis concluded that they weren't scribbled out as if they were in a rush. We believe that this crime had been eating away at them ever since it happened until they couldn't take it anymore. The messages in each note all seem to be sincere and apologetic to us."

Tadao asked if he was allowed to see one of them, which Maniwa allowed and he picked it up to read to himself.

_To the Hiiragi household and everyone I have hurt:_

_I cannot express to all of you my deepest sorrow and deepest apologies for the unspeakable crime I had committed against an innocent girl. I was drunk and high that night, but I know that is no excuse or consolation for what I or my friends did. I cannot imagine how terrified the young girl was, but I hope that this fate I have bestowed upon to myself brings some measure of justice. I have also left my phone containing the video of the rape that I hope the police will use it to put Ryosuke away forever. I must depart from this world now as the nightmares and guilt are now too much to bear any longer and hopefully I will be condemned to hell as I have already condemned myself there. Once again, I am profoundly sorry, Hiiragi family._

_Daisuke Sakamoto_

Tadao slid the note back to Maniwa, gulped, and looked at the detective. "Are…are you in possession of that video he was talking about?"

Maniwa nodded. "We found his phone in his coat pocket after we recovered his body and note."

"How…how bad is it?" Tadao asked.

Maniwa darted his eyes away from the distraught father, reluctant to answer his question. His professionalism as a policeman finally forced him to speak. "We had to watch it to guarantee its authenticity. It is authentic and…well…let me put it to you this way, Hiiragi-san. Many of my fellow policemen are fathers themselves…and it made several of them fall to their knees and cry while others had to run to the restroom to vomit. I'm not married and I'm not a father, but I cannot and will not say I know how you feel, sir. It was a very disturbing piece and we will undoubtedly use it to convict Ryosuke. No jury in the world will let this man walk when they see it."

Tadao lowered his head in shame. He slowly looked at the detective again and said, "I need to see it."

"Sir?" Maniwa asked.

"I need to see it." Tadao was quick to respond again.

Maniwa's facial expression shifted to confused and he replied, "I'm sorry, Hiiragi-san, but I do not understand."

"Ever since my daughter was raped, she has been on a downward spiral and has been getting into fights and was even expelled from school." Tadao replied with fatherly emotion in his voice. "I'm sure you know by now that she was even arrested and spent the other night in this very station. I only know the pain I _should_ feel as a father for Tsukasa. If I see the video, I will be at the same level as her and I think I can reach her at a more intimate level and stop this cycle. Please let me see it."

Maniwa didn't know what to make of Tadao's rationality. He did know that Tsukasa spent the night in his station last night and that she was on a self-destructive path, but he couldn't understand how Tadao thought reliving his own daughter's rape would help. He wasn't a father though so he hoped that Tadao had a fatherly intuition that he lacked so he slowly reached into his uniform pocket and retrieved the electronic device.

The smart phone was wrapped in a plastic evidence bag and Maniwa slowly took it out and turned it back on. It was deafly quiet in the room again as Maniwa went through the phone's electronic library to find the video with the ticking clock's noise dominant once again in the room. Maniwa sighed as the video loaded in the phone and when he switched it to full-screen mode, he placed it on the table and slid it Tadao and said, "Tap the screen to play it."

His hands shaking, Tadao lifted the horizontal rectangular phone and gently tapped the screen, the tip of his finger leaving behind small spots of sweat. The first thing he saw nearly made him drop the phone as his heart pounded and his blood boiled. He saw Tsukasa forced on her hands and knees in the Kagura-den, her miko outfit brutally torn and shards of it dangling off her naked body and her red and white ribbon that usually sat in her hair was tied over her mouth as she cried. Tears shot out of her eyes as she violently shook her head and continued to cry for help but the ribbon around her mouth made all her attempts in vain. As Tadao watched the digital nightmare, he heard the men laughing and his heart leaped into his throat when he saw one of them approach Tsukasa with a broom in hand while two more got in position behind and in front of the frightened young girl as they opened their pants.

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The sliding doors of the hospital opened and a fully healed Tsukasa Hiiragi walked out with her mother, who had a look of gloom and fear on her face. Miki had once again come to her daughter's rescue, which she knew was going to displease her husband again and even more so this time. Miki was letting Tsukasa walk away from a suicide attempt with hardly any questions asked. Tadao was undoubtedly going to hit the roof and it would put Miki in a corner. Why would she let their suicidal daughter walk away from treatment and more importantly, why would Miki sign such a request being that Tsukasa was still technically a minor? Miki feared that today she would have to come clean about where the original bail money came from, which also meant she would most likely have to pack her bags.

Since Tadao had the car, Miki and Tsukasa walked side-by-side with each other towards the bus stop. Miki glanced at her daughter several times to try and find any signs of remorse or regret for what she did. Tsukasa continued to stare into space with a look of cold concrete on her face. She walked and carried herself as if nothing ever happened. The fact that she technically died twice within the past twenty-four hours rolled off her like water off a duck's back. Miki had the same "three strike" conversation with Dr. Hirukawa before they left and unlike Tsukasa, Miki was taking the warnings seriously.

Standing at the bus stop, Miki finally broke the ice with her daughter. "Are you still feeling okay?"

Tsukasa slowly lifted her right wrist, revealing its resemblance to a mummy with it wrapped in a multi-layered bandage. Tsukasa huffed at it and said, "I can take it. It was nothing."

"Dying is not nothing, Tsukasa." Miki replied. "You have no idea what your father and I felt when we had to run with those paramedics as they rushed you in yesterday on that gurney. I know you probably don't want to hear this, but we still love you, Tsukasa."

Tsukasa tightened her facial expression and looked away. Her silence was her only reply to her mother's affection.

Miki sighed as the bus approached and finally said, "You're going to have to help me out when we get home. Your father is going to want an explanation why I didn't enroll you in that psychological program at the hospital. What will I tell him?"

The bus's doors opened and Tsukasa quickly stepped up first and replied, "Tell him whatever you have to. Don't forget…_you_ are the one that hangs in the balance."

It never ceased to amaze Miki how much her youngest and formerly most timid daughter could hurt her so. Ever since she was forced to become a newer and darker person, Tsukasa knew exactly where to jab a sharp stick into the places where it hurt the most. Miki was still at a loss of what to do as she sat in one empty seat while Tsukasa took the seat directly behind her.

Their bus ride lasted for ten minutes until it neared the next stop. In those ten minutes, neither Miki nor Tsukasa exchanged one word to each other; not even a single glance of acknowledgment. As the bus slowed, Miki's cell phone began ringing and she quickly rummaged through her purse and when she pulled it out, she saw Inori's number in the screen, prompting her to open it.

"Hello, dear." Miki said.

Tsukasa couldn't follow the conversation but could hear her oldest sister's voice in the phone as she glanced out the window. She suddenly recognized where she was. She was only a few blocks from The Black Window, the store where Yuka Miyakawa worked and Tsukasa quickly formulated yet another escape plan. Like hell she was planning on facing her family again to give them yet another explanation.

"What…? They're dead?" Miki gasped. "Does your father know? I see…he just came home from the police station."

Tsukasa wasn't listening. She just waited for the bus to stop completely as she eyed the backdoors and waited for them to open.

"What do you mean your father is acting strange?" Miki asked as she held the phone closer as all her attention was now on the conversation as Inori replied.

"I don't know exactly how to put it…when he came home from the police station he was shaking uncontrollably and couldn't speak. He's been sitting in the living room holding the family photo album and whispering to Tsukasa's photos ever since." Inori spoke.

Miki nodded with concern and the bus came to a complete stop. "Okay, dear. Keep an eye on him and I'll be home soon."

"What about Tsukasa?" Inori asked.

Miki gulped and tightened the grip on her phone. "We'll talk about that when I get home. For now, just keep an eye on your father."

Inori complied and the mother and daughter ended their conversation. Miki sighed and put her phone away as the bus began to move again. "Hey Tsukasa, I have some news for you. Those other three men that…did that to you…the police said they died. They hanged themselves."

Silence was what Miki was expecting from Tsukasa, so it didn't come as a surprise to her when she received it.

"I know that doesn't undo all the damage they caused and I don't expect you to automatically feel better, but—" Miki began again but stopped when an elderly man sitting across the bus row from her tapped her shoulder.

"Excuse me, miss, but are you talking to someone?" He asked.

Miki nodded. "Yes, my daughter. She's sitting—"

She halted her sentence when she turned around and saw the seat behind her that was once occupied by her daughter was now vacant. Miki quickly shifted her eyes around the bus for Tsukasa but was only met with unfamiliar and confused eyes from the strangers on the bus. It was clear Tsukasa gave her the slip again. Miki slowly slumped back into her seat, sighed, and wondered what time and what day she would see her youngest daughter again.

Tsukasa dashed through the streets of the shopping district and when she was sure she lost her mother again, she slowed down to catch her breath. She was alone again in the larger area of town and she fixed her wardrobe and began to walk again towards The Black Window. The youngest Hiiragi twin brushed off her two meetings with death, knowing her secret friend Yuka Miyakawa would get a kick out of them. She knew that Miyakawa was obsessed with death and nearly hearing of Tsukasa's demise was going to be a good one.

She finally arrived at the alternative store and violently pushed the door open, ringing the bell and when she entered, she saw Miyakawa sitting behind the desk reading a magazine. The door's bell lifted her head from her reading and when she saw Tsukasa, her eyes nearly exploded as this was the first time she had seen Tsukasa since the last time she escaped two days ago. Miyakawa had no idea the kind of drama Tsukasa went through since the last time they were together. Within forty-eight hours, Tsukasa was expelled from school, arrested, spent a night in jail, tried to commit suicide, and spent another night in a hospital.

Miyakawa was overjoyed to see Tsukasa as she stood from her chair and as she dashed around her counter to get to the youngest Hiiragi twin, Tsukasa's piercing glare halted her. Keeping her eyes fixated on Miyakawa, Tsukasa reached behind towards the door and grasped the open sign hanging from the door and flipped it so it would read closed to any potential customers. Withdrawing her hand, Tsukasa lifted both hands to the zipper on the front of her dark top and quickly pulled it down, unzipping it.

She quickly ripped it open, revealing the front of her body with the only thing keeping her decent was the black bra covering her breasts as she dropped the black top on the floor. Stunned by the bold move, Miyakawa slowly looked back up at Tsukasa and the rogue Hiiragi daughter said, "Is that tattoo offer still on the table?"

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Miki finally arrived home with one less member of the family with her. She knew she was even in deeper water now that Tsukasa had run off again but she needed to tackle one issue at a time. Right now, her husband was in a crisis after his visit to the police station and she needed to know what had happened there. She barely made it through the door when Inori and Matsuri swamped her with looks of concern.

"Mom, we think dad might be in trouble." Matsuri whispered with fear. "He hasn't left the living room and he's still talking to the photo album."

"When we tried to talk to him, all he said was 'God help us all.'" Inori added with concern.

Miki hugged her daughters and slowly approached the living room that has seen so much activity since Tsukasa fell off the sanity train. An uneasy quiet fell upon the Hiiragi household as Miki rounded a corner and entered the living room and upon seeing her husband sitting on the sofa holding the same photo album she held before began to worry her. As she slowly approached the frozen man, she could see his skin complexion had changed to a paler shade as he sat with a stone-cold face, his eyes also fixated on one photo.

Miki slowly curled next to him on the sofa and glanced at the photo he was so feverishly staring at. It was of a family vacation to Hokkaido during the summer and Tsukasa was eight-years-old at the time. The photo was just of Tadao and he was holding Tsukasa up; the little girl with her petite arms wrapped around her father's neck and presented an enthusiastic smile, just like her father. In the background, countless meadows of wildflowers decorated the landscape in multiple rows, creating scenic stripe patterns of nearly every color imaginable.

"I remember that trip, dear." Miki whispered. "I never saw Tsukasa as happy as she was when she was running through those rows of flowers."

Tadao didn't respond either verbally or physically. He just stared at the photo as if he was a statue.

Miki's concern grew, prompting her to slowly place her hand on in his left cheek and nearly had to pull it back upon feeling his flesh was cold as ice. The silence continued to drive painful spikes of tension into the household until Miki was forced to break it again when she said, "Did something happen, Tadao?"

He inhaled a deep breath and slowly let it out. "I don't get it, honey. My whole life I was taught that there was good in all humans. To have faith in all of humanity and that one day, _all_ humans would see the errors of their ways and repent for what they've done to each other on Earth. I was taught that hate was the absolute worst entity that dwells on Earth and that it corrupts all humans and drives them to do unspeakable things to each other."

Miki watched her husband with fear as he continued.

"Then there's me. A man of God. A man that is supposed to set a good example for not only the community, but for my family, and for the human race. Our shrine was once a sanctuary, now, its forever a crime scene." Tadao continued with growing angst in his voice. "I was taught to never feel hate, but compassion…even for my enemies. But tell me Miki…what kind of man of God am I if at first I feel sympathy for my daughter's rapists' suicides, then only thirty minutes later, feel nothing but hate for them? And not just hate…the kind of hate that makes me _hope_…not wish…but _hope_…that they're in hell…and that they'll be suffering and be in pain for all eternity. What kind of man am I?"

Miki was speechless.

"You were right, dear. You were right. I'm no man at all." Tadao sniffed as his eyes began to flood, making Miki's heart race as she had never seen him cry before. "I couldn't protect Tsukasa on my own shrine's grounds…and what happened to her in that shrine…"

Miki's eyelids lifted. "Detective Maniwa told you something…didn't he?"

Tadao nodded once. "One of those boys videotaped the whole thing."

Miki gulped and breathed hard. "You…you mean that…you saw Tsukasa's rape?"

Tears finally fell from his eyes, confirming for Miki that this was the beginning of the end of the Hiiragi family as Tadao turned his head to her, presenting the face of a broken man. "I saw the whole thing. I never knew that humans were capable of such horrors and atrocities. What they did to her…it wasn't human. I can tell you right now…Tsukasa is _never_ going to recover from this…no matter what we do for her. I can see now why she's acting the way she's acting. No amount of therapy or family support will help her now."

Fearing the unknown of the family's fate, Miki snuggled as close as she could to Tadao and quickly whispered, "What did they do to her?"

Tadao quickly shook his head. "If you see that video, I'll have to put you on suicide watch too. In fact, I'm not sure I even trust myself at this point."

Tadao slowly stood after placing the photo album down and he began to walk away. Miki suddenly felt panic and quickly said, "Where are you going, Tadao?"

He stopped but still couldn't face his wife anymore. "To the shrine. The way I see it…it was probably for the best that the Kagura-den was burned down. There's nothing we can do to make that place or that ground holy again…not after what happened in there. I just…I just need to think for awhile. After what I saw, I can safely say…there was no god watching over us that night. Only darkness."

Tadao abruptly left the home through the front door and Miki continued to stare at the door with both a puzzled and a terrified face. Of course all rape is a horrible experience, but was Tsukasa's really that terrible that it made her husband question his faith? Tadao was always a peaceful and reserved man but when he needed to, he always took a stand for his religious beliefs. He has seen humanity at its best, and even at its so-called worst and he always came out a stronger and even more religious man because of it. But the video at the police station horrified him so much that now, he doubted his own upbringing and was questioning everything he ever believed in.

As Miki sat alone in the living room, Inori and Matsuri soon poked their heads around the corner and looked inside, catching their mother's attention. Seeing the look on their mother's face rivaled their father's, making them swoop in and take a seat on each side of Miki and nestle closer to her. Miki wrapped her arms around them and pulled them close. She assumed Inori and Matsuri heard everything so she didn't play stupid with them when she began talking to them.

"What do you girls think we should do?" Miki asked in a defeated voice. "I think your father is in the middle of an identity crisis and doesn't know what to do."

Inori couldn't contain her emotions anymore and cried on her mother's shoulder. "Please don't say that, mom. If dad loses faith, what can save us? What will pull us out of this nightmare? Will he just stand by and tell us that all our hard work and all our dedication to the shrine, to faith, and to Saitama was all a waste of time? I couldn't live like that, mom. I wouldn't want to, either."

Matsuri held her own emotional wise as she observed the situation. "We shouldn't put everything into faith now. We need to put our strength into each other. Whether there is a god or not is completely irrelevant; we need to band together and overcome this as not only humans, but as a united family."

They were strong words that came out of Matsuri, but it still didn't help. Tadao was always seen as the leader of the family and the religious community and to have that rug ripped out from under the Hiiragi family sent devastating shockwaves throughout the ranks. Miki and Inori were in sync with each other regarding the fact that if they didn't have faith to fall back on, they felt alone and beaten. It was now them against the darkness of the human mind, which already proved to Tadao that it was a true force to reckon with. What the dark side of the human mind is capable of is nothing short of devastating, as it seemed to prove in that one thirty minute video of Tsukasa Hiiragi's rape.

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Yuka Miyakawa dragged the needle through Tsukasa's skin while injecting the black ink into her shoulder. To the store owner, Tsukasa was taking the pain like a pro as she never cried or asked for a break; she just sat in the chair and kept her poker face of anger as the image she selected was nearly complete.

"You are the toughest bitch I know," Miyakawa said as she finished the last of the tattered wings of the design. "You nearly off yourself by slashing yourself open and then you take this needle and make it your own little baby."

Tsukasa narrowed her eyes as the comparatively mild pain continued to surge her body. "Other things in life have hurt worse, Yuka."

Miyakawa looked up from her work and looked at Tsukasa's black hair. "You mean the night you were spoiled by those pigs. Does it still hurt when you sit down?"

"It's hurting right now. When I sit, when I stand, when I piss, everything." Tsukasa snarled as she continued to hold still for the tattoo's completion.

Miyakawa slowly shook her head as she paused the tattoo gun to wipe away some of the excess ink and blood above Tsukasa's flesh. As she continued, she said, "There's another rave tonight if you're interested. Same time, same place."

"Count me in." Tsukasa said fiercely and without a second thought.

Miyakawa grinned as she finished the tattoo and began to bandage it. "Okay, it looks great on you. I think it definitely suits you and those stories you told me. You make one sexy bitch of death."

Tsukasa formed a sinister grin and rose from her chair to face a mirror. She slowly turned around and revealed the new piece of art on her body. The tattoo was of the grim reaper, but it wasn't that simple. The reaper stood within its black tattered cloak and held a large scythe and the handle of the bladed item made of a human spine. The blade itself was razor and chipped in some places. Two massive chain links crossed over the reaper's chest and the reaper held a severed human skull in its free hand with another human spine still attached to it. Tattered and sliced bat wings stuck out of the reaper's back and stretched outwards as the whole image took up half of Tsukasa's back. At the bottom of the image, a tattered and torn banner sat that read "DEATH IS A BITCH" in red, dripping letters resembling blood.

Tsukasa turned away from the mirror and faced Miyakawa. "You're amazing, Yuka. Clothes, hair, tattoos, you're a genius at this."

Miyakawa winked at Tsukasa as she tucked her tattoo gun kit away. "Gratitude noted and appreciated. You're welcome, Tsukasa. How are you gonna make it up to me, _bitch_?"

Tsukasa fixed her black top again and locked eyes with Miyakawa again. "You're just going to have to wait and see…_slut_."

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Tsukasa and Miyakawa both lost their hearing as soon as they arrived at the rave later that night the very second they entered. It was a repeat of the first rave they hit with hundreds of people jammed into an old warehouse with pulsing music and lightshows. Smoke from suspicious "cigarettes" formed a massive cloud above the dancing mob while others popped different colored pills and danced all around.

The youngest Hiiragi twin and Miyakawa met with her circle of friends again and one of them brought something new to the table. He dropped a plastic bag filled with white powder and also took out a razor blade as he dumped the foreign substance on the table and began to chop through it with the blade. Tsukasa was still a novice in the world of drugs but prided herself in catching on quickly and being able to hold her own as one of Miyakawa's friends took a straw and snorted the white powder.

It sent him into a rush of tremors and shakes as he howled out loud as the drug took its full affect on him. Miyakawa laughed at the end results of the cocaine and immediately passed the straw to Tsukasa, who only repeated what she saw by putting it to her nose and inhaling the thin white line of chaos. Like a tidal wave of pure adrenaline, Tsukasa Hiiragi's petite body was no match for the powerful stimulant and everything for her suddenly went into overdrive.

Her vision blurred and as she suddenly lost the feeling in her mouth and parts of her face, she felt invincible. Laughing hysterically and disregarding her bleeding nostrils, Tsukasa lost control of her inhibitions and without warning, tore her top off her torso and once again revealed her body and black bra and took it a step further. Tearing her pants off, she exposed her black panties with a black garter belt wrapped around her hips attached to her pantyhose. Snatching Miyakawa's hand, Tsukasa took her friend to the front of the stage where the DJ readied another song from a band called Spineshank.

Once they reached the stage, they were instantly met with cheers from the crowd as the thundering metal music tore through the rave and in the midst of the strobe lights, lasers, and smoke from fog machines and drugs, Tsukasa grabbed a support pole holding the lights above the stage in place. Wrapping one leg around it, she swung herself around fiercely and let the blood continue to fly from her nose as her eyes became redder. She could hear the song lyrics match her new life as they echoed _It's the beginning of the end and I don't know where we lost control! It's the beginning of the end and I know that I am all alone!_

Miyakawa followed Tsukasa's lead as she too swung on another pole next to the former shrine maiden and good girl. She once again was feeling fatigued and worn out but it continued to shock Miyakawa that Tsukasa continued to dance on the pole, her maniacal laugh continuing to rival Spineshank's song "Beginning of the End."

Tsukasa suddenly stopped and grabbed Miyakawa by the neck and halted her dance as well. Forcing Miyakawa to look at her, Tsukasa stared at her with her bloodshot eyes, psychopathic smile, bleeding nostrils, and her gums were beginning to ooze the red liquid as well. It was then that even Yuka Miyakawa began to think that maybe she was in over her head as Tsukasa pulled her close and forced an aggressive kiss onto her.

The song came to the chorus and echoed _The life we knew before is gone, there is no compromising. The life you save will be your own…to find your inner senses!_

The crowd cheered vibrantly as they raised their hands and clapped in sync with the lyrics and the song thrashed again, continuing the unholy anarchy of debauchery as Tsukasa broke the kiss and stared at the mass of people pointing their camera phones at her. She suddenly felt dizzy and suddenly lost touch with her sense of direction and swayed back and forth on the stage as her nostrils continued to drip blood. Miyakawa breathed deeply in desperate attempts to fill her lungs again and suddenly saw Tsukasa was nearly depleted of energy and she had to help her off stage as the party continued.

A song entitled "My Heaven is your Hell" by a Finnish metal band named Lordi suddenly replaced Spineshank's song. The last thing Tsukasa could hear were the lyrics _Free me from my life eternal, there's no blessing in this curse! Night by night is so infernal and yet it's getting worse!_

"Story of my life," Tsukasa whispered to herself and finally passed out into the darkness.

**A/N:** Okay I get it this isn't the best chapter but every now and then I need to add something slow and boring to bridge the gap to the next drama scene. However, I could use some advice on something. I was thinking of adding the full-length description of the rape in a later chapter entitled "The Diary" when it's discovered by the Hiiragi family, along with _every_ other thing Tsukasa has written in it so far. Good idea or bad idea? Your call.


	12. The Scandal

CHAPTER 12

THE SCANDAL

Forcing herself to wake up and prepare her morning routine, Kagami once again had to face another day with the trouble of knowing that her sister was missing from the household. Every time Tsukasa disappeared, Kagami feared that each time it would end with the police coming to their door to inform them that they recovered her body from some street gutter or alley. Nevertheless, Kagami continued to ready herself for school as she divided her long hair into her two trademark pigtails while looking in the bathroom mirror.

With her hair fixed, she slowly turned her head and stared at the bathtub, the same one that nearly became Tsukasa's coffin. She shuddered at the spotless white fixture that had since been cleaned of Tsukasa's blood, as well as the tile floor. It was a sickening process and she remembered gagging when she helped Matsuri and Inori scrape the dried liquid off the floor. She walked out and closed the glass door, which had a piece of cardboard and duct tape sealing the area where their father forced through to open the door to save his daughter.

Kagami rethought everything as she walked to the train station alone and realized that she had no idea where Tsukasa was. She assumed that her sister was still at the hospital and living as an inpatient at the hospital while enrolled in that psychological program Dr. Hirukawa told them about. She hoped that that was the case but Kagami was smart enough to know that it wasn't that simple and she believed Tsukasa was out on the streets again. Taking into account Miki's refusal to talk about Tsukasa last night, it was all the evidence the oldest Hiiragi twin needed to conclude she was right.

"Good morning, Kagami." A familiar voice said and Kagami turned to see her blue-haired friend Konata approach.

Seeing Konata put a smile on Kagami's face and she waved to her and greeted her warmly. "Hey, you."

Konata seemed passive this morning. Her trademark grin was absent and her face was locked in a serious expression. "I'm worried about you, Kagamin. What happened after your big sister picked you up the other day? She picked you up and yesterday when you came to school, I could barely pry two words out of you and when school was over you ran out."

Kagami sighed knowing that this was going to come sooner or later. Everyone was still oblivious to Tsukasa's suicide attempt since she was no longer a student at their high school and it was Kagami's heart-felt apology to Hiyori that was still the talk of the town. It was out of character for the hard-nosed tsundere to apologize, especially in tears. Kagami didn't mind it though; if anything, she was grateful because she wanted to keep Tsukasa's troubles as far away as possible.

"I'm fine, Konata. It's just that Tsukasa is still in a lot of trouble and we don't think she cares." Kagami said with remorse. "She has no more ambitions. She doesn't want to go to school, she's still causing my parents grief, and she keeps disappearing for long periods of time. I don't know what to do anymore."

Konata nodded slowly and placed her hand on Kagami's shoulder. "It sounds really rough. Don't give up hope though. You have a strong support system at home and I know someone as strong as you will pull everyone out of this rut."

Kagami deepened her smile. It was rare for Konata to be so serious but then again, Kagami faced a very serious matter. She was taken by her friend's support and suddenly hugged her, surprising Konata as their train entered the station.

"I have to tell you…Kagamin…I'm a little turned on right now. Please tell me you have chocolates in your pockets." Konata joked and returned to her infamous personality, so Kagami naturally returned to hers.

"Shut up, weirdo!" Kagami snapped and pushed the short-statured otaku away from her as Konata giggled.

_Balance restored_, Konata thought to herself with her grin as she followed Kagami onto the train.

She wouldn't admit it but Kagami was giggling to herself after Konata made the joke. It made her feel better and being around Konata's antics brought a sense of stability and a familiar comfort to her as they sat and the train took them to school. They continued to talk casually just like the good old days and Konata continued to keep up her prankish personality because she knew Kagami was counting on her. Even though Kagami was smiling and laughing with her, Konata knew that Tsukasa's situation was still eating away at the oldest Hiiragi twin and she needed to do her part as her friend to keep her happy.

When they got to school, everything seemed to continue uninterrupted as the two friends walked towards their classrooms and got ready to part ways. It wasn't until Konata disappeared in Miss Kuroi's classroom and Kagami was left alone when it all began to unravel again. Kagami approached two female students standing next to each other, one was holding her cell phone up with a shocked expression glued to the screen and her friend stood next to her, also with the same face and couldn't take her eyes of the glowing picture on the screen.

The second girl looked up and saw Kagami approaching, making her elbow her friend who still held the phone to grab her attention. The two girls suddenly glued their looks at Kagami, catching the twin-tailed Hiiragi daughter's attention. There was an awkward silence between the three of them until Kagami glared and spoke.

"What?" She spat.

The two female students to Kagami's surprise began to giggle and they tried desperately to keep it from turning into deep laughs. Sweat formed across their foreheads as they gritted their teeth and began to lose the anti-laugh battle as Kagami's glare tightened.

"What is it?!" She yelled at them.

They shook their heads together and continued to try and keep their laughs contained. The girl who held the phone stuttered, "N…No…Not…Nothing…Nothing…Nothing Hiiragi."

Kagami rolled her eyes and continued walking to her classroom as she muttered to herself about how weird they were. She didn't know their names but has seen them around before and didn't like them. They were bordering on the delinquent side and were the types of girls that never did their homework, were always late to school, and would be seen at late night raves. They were also into the same genres of manga and anime as Hiyori and Konata were.

When Kagami was gone, the two girls couldn't contain their laughs anymore and released their gut busters, quickly drawing tears. They coughed and wheezed and when they were content with their amusement, they wiped their tears away and lifted the phone back to their eyes and gazed at the screen's picture with enthusiastic eyes.

"I can't believe this…this is the greatest thing I've ever seen." One of the girls giggled as she looked at the picture.

Her friend nodded. "Damn right. You could be granted a million lifetimes and _never_ get anything this good. This is a sign from above."

The two girls drooled over the picture. On the phone's screen, a picture from last night's rave in Tokyo showed them what Tsukasa Hiiragi has been doing with herself since she was expelled. The picture showed Tsukasa in her lingerie swinging on the support pole on the stage with her nostrils throwing blood and the look on her face was pure animalistic. The girl holding the phone clicked to the second picture, which topped the first one. Tsukasa was making out with Yuka Miyakawa on stage, still nearly naked and completely out of her mind.

"What are you going to do with them?" Her friend asked.

The girl who held her cell phone formed a sinister grin and navigated to her address book. "My friend was kind enough to share these goodies with me…so I'm going to share them with _everyone _at Ryōō High School. Kagami can take _this_ and shove it up her snatch."

The two conniving girls laughed again as she attached the photos to everyone in her address book in text messages with the caption "Tsukasa Hiiragi's day off." With one fateful movement, she pushed the send button and once again, another powder keg was lit and the detonation countdown began. It was only a matter of time until the entire Hiiragi family would be the laughing stock of not only Ryōō, but all of Saitama.

Hiyori Tamura waited anxiously for the clock to strike noon for lunchtime. Not because she was hungry, but because four hours earlier, she felt her cell phone vibrate in her skirt pocket when it received a text message. She had been anxiously awaiting a message from one of her friends who was also well-vested in the manga underworld, only with one addition; she was also into raves and never missed one. According to her friend, she saw something so shocking last night at a warehouse rave in Tokyo that it shook her to the core.

When the clock struck noon, the students began to push their desks together while Hiyori dug for her cell phone and quickly withdrew it. Flipping the screen open, she saw it was from her friend and that it was a picture message. She assumed that her friend had seen a cosplayer that had an outrageous ensemble and that she too needed to see it. It wasn't until she saw the caption "Tsukasa Hiiragi's day off" that made her heart beat and gulp.

Pressing the open button on her phone, Hiyori nearly shot out of her seat like a missile when she saw the youngest Hiiragi daughter hanging from a pole and wearing black lingerie. She sweated bullets and breathed hard, now feeling as if she was sucked into a moral crisis on what to do next. Looking at the CC section of her phone, Hiyori then realized the extent of the damage that was falling onto the Hiiragi family and it was dire. Her friend had forwarded the images of Tsukasa to sixty people, who were undoubtedly going to forward it to more people, keeping the malicious cycle going and spreading the images like a plague. It was only a matter of time until it reached Kagami's phone.

"You have got to be shitting me!" A voice yelled from behind Hiyori and she quickly turned to see another student holding his phone up and looking at the screen. "Hey guys, come and check this out! Looks like we went to school with a slut!"

Hearing the last sentence corralled all the boys over to the area and around the phone. Their reactions were simultaneous and the same when their eyes exploded in their heads and began pointing and laughing hysterically. Some cussed in shock at it and when they saw the second picture, the whole classroom exploded in a mosh of screams and satisfied laughs.

"Is that really Hiiragi?!" One of them yelled.

"Oh man and I always thought it was the other twin that had the butch in her!" Another laughed.

"I'm spreading this shit around!" The student who received the picture on his phone proclaimed and as he began to spread it like a virus, the other students demanded that they get a piece of the action, too.

Hiyori had to act. Minami and Yutaka were infected with curiosity as they were beginning to walk over to see what the commotion was all about but the female otaku quickly stopped them and tried to make it look casual for Yutaka's sake. As Hiyori moved towards the door, she quickly whispered to Minami, "Don't let Yu-chan see those pictures."

Minami didn't know what was going on but could see the seriousness in Hiyori's eyes and heeded her warning. She quickly steered Yutaka away from the laughing frenzy as Hiyori shot out of the classroom and ran as fast as she could down the hallway. Knowing that her legs were no match for the speed of cyberspace, she still ran in the hope of getting to Kagami before any of her sister's compromising photos could.

When Hiyori arrived at the senior hall, she eyed Kagami's classroom door and suddenly saw a short blue-haired girl tear from around another corner, also aiming for the twin-tailed Hiiragi's classroom. It only took one glance to see it was Konata and she had the same look of panic as Hiyori and seeing her with her cell phone also in her hand confirmed that she had received the photos too.

"Sempai…! Tsukasa-san…!" Hiyori panted.

"I know! I know! We have to hurry!" Konata exclaimed and the two female otakus arrived at Kagami's classroom door and quickly ripped it open. They rushed in and absorbed the scene. Unlike Konata's and Hiyori's classrooms, which erupted into riots upon seeing the photos, Kagami's classroom was dead silent. All eyes were fixated on Kagami as she held a cell phone in her hand while staring at the screen. Misao and Ayano stood next to Kagami, each one with an expression of horror and grief. Ayano held her hands over her mouth with her eyes wide while Misao held her trembling hands out towards Kagami. She wanted to comfort her but was afraid of what Kagami would do if she was touched. Hiyori and Konata exchanged looks of dread. They were too late.

Kagami kept her back facing her friends and stood perfectly still. Ten painful seconds ticked by and Kagami didn't move or twitch a muscle. She was struck lifeless the second she saw the photos that arrived on her phone. Everyone in Kagami's class was mortified by the photos and was sympathetic to her, but didn't know how to approach her or comfort her. How could they? What do you say to a miko when she suddenly discovers that her baby sister has been doing such unspeakable things and that her family was now inevitably going to collapse because of it?

Konata slowly approached her friend with her hands outstretched. "Kag…Kagami. It…it's okay. We all know that this isn't who Tsukasa is. Your sister…is just in pain. Please…don't blow this…out of proportion. It…it isn't that bad—"

The cell phone in Kagami's hand suddenly slipped from her grasp and as soon as it smacked against the floor, it happened. Kagami released a deafening scream and grabbed her head as she fell to her knees and cried with all her might. All she could scream was _no_ over and over again and began to thrash, triggering Misao, Ayano, Hiyori, and Konata to intervene. They tried in vain to calm the oldest Hiiragi twin as her twin-pigtails came undone and Kagami turned herself into a crying, screaming, thrashing mess. Kagami was smart enough to know that these pictures were still circulating around school. She was also smart enough to know that because of it and the bad publicity, her life was over. If it was one thing that was a serious stigma in Japan, it was the stench of scandal and right now, her family was chest-deep in it and still sinking. No college or law school in Japan would come near Kagami now. If only the damage caused by Tsukasa's pictures would stop there but unfortunately, scandal knows no limitation.

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Sitting alone in the Honden of his shrine, Tadao Hiiragi searched deep within his soul and within the building's most sacred artifacts for an answer. The broken man stared at the shrine's kami, a portrait of the goddess Amaterasu, and prayed relentlessly. He prayed for Tsukasa, for his family, for himself, but most of all, he prayed for a miracle. He also prayed for forgiveness. Forgiveness from the gods for, what he felt in his mind, letting such a morbid crime bestow itself upon his youngest daughter.

He couldn't sleep the previous night. Not just because Tsukasa wasn't home, but because he couldn't stop seeing the video of the rape. Every time he closed his eyes, his mind only acted like a theater replaying the same grotesque film over and over again. Tadao couldn't even eat breakfast this morning he was so repulsed by what he saw at the police station and the fact that it was burned into his memories made him think he wasn't going to eat again anytime soon.

As he sat alone in the quiet, it allowed him to hear footsteps sound against the cobblestones and approach the Honden. Someone was advancing towards him as he finished his prayers and the sliding door behind him slowly opened. Matsuri's voice whispered, "Dad, you have a phone call. It's Yoshimizu-san in Tokyo."

Tadao lifted his head up upon hearing the name of his former religious mentor from college. This man taught Tadao everything he needed to know about being a great priest, and was there for the family giving religious and mental support behind the scenes after Tsukasa was raped. He was also aware of Tsukasa's downward spiral but wasn't aware of the severity of it. What could he want? This question consumed Tadao's mind as he followed his middle child back to their home where his mentor awaited via the telephone.

"Hello, Yoshimizu-sensei. What can I do for you?" Tadao asked when he put the phone to his ear.

The older religious teacher cleared his throat on the other side and began to speak. "Hello, Tadao-san. I first wish to continue to express my deepest sympathies to you and your family."

Tadao sighed mentally and replied, "Thank you, sir."

"Allow me to get straight to the point. I actually have good news for you since I've known that your shrine has been in a rut lately." Yoshimizu-sensei said. "I received a phone call the other day from a secretary of the Prime Minister of Japan and his granddaughter is getting married next week. The Prime Minister is adamant about his granddaughter getting the best possible wedding and was looking for a well-qualified priest and naturally, I thought of you."

New life was struck into Tadao's eyes as he took in the once in a lifetime offer. If he could perform the Prime Minister's granddaughter's wedding, it would wipe away all the troubles the Hiiragi shrine was having. The wedding would be in all the newspapers in Japan and the shrine would receive incredible publicity from both political and religious supporters. It would draw countless more tourists, as well as the Prime Minister's political supporters who would undoubtedly contribute financial support to the shrine. It could also pave the way for more VIP weddings, thus putting the Hiiragi shrine at the top of the religious tourism trade.

Tadao couldn't help but smile. "You…you don't say, sir?"

"Absolutely, Tadao-san. Everything is ready to go for the wedding so all you have to do is make sure the shrine is prepared for all the visitors." The elderly instructor added.

"Thank you so much, sensei. You have no idea how much this means to me and my family!" Tadao exclaimed happily and on the verge of tears.

"Yes, actually I do, and that's why I brought this offer to you and no one else." Yoshimizu-sensei replied. "It appears that this is a gift from above and a sign that everything will get better for you and your family."

Tadao nodded happily. "Thank you once again, sir."

The two old friends continued to talk to each other and inform the other of what has been happening in their lives since they last talked. Tadao's news wasn't as uplifting but at this point it didn't matter. He had an opportunity to come out on top and bring his family out of this horrid groove that was forced upon them. Unfortunately, he was still oblivious to the next storm that was on the horizon and had the Hiiragi family in its sights.

Hearing the news lifted the Hiiragi spirits and prompted Inori and Matsuri to quickly begin the preparations for the Prime Minister and his granddaughter. They swept the grounds, cleaned the shrines, made decorations welcoming the highest-ranking politician in the country, and practiced the Kagura dance. Spirits and morale were both high for the family as Tadao also eventually joined them in their preparations and practiced the traditional ritual for the wedding.

The hours flew by as the preparations continued and as Inori and Matsuri pursued their work, they eventually caught sight of Kagami slowly walking towards them returning from school. The family's euphoria was so deep that the two older sisters looked right through Kagami's broken face and her bloodshot eyes from her crying episodes throughout the day. Her head was cast low as she walked towards their home while Inori called to Kagami.

"Kagami! You're never going to believe this but the Prime Minister of Japan is coming here next week! His granddaughter is getting married and dad is going to perform the ceremony!" Inori proclaimed.

Kagami didn't respond. She kept her head low as she continued to walk despite hearing the joyous news. That time it caught Inori's and Matsuri's attention. News of the Prime Minister's arrival didn't stir one response from Kagami as she continued to walk. As they watched their little sister disappear into their house, the two older siblings looked at each other.

"Something's happened. You think Tsukasa has resurfaced somewhere?" Matsuri asked.

"I thought Tsukasa was still at the hospital. You think mom let her go? After a suicide attempt?" Inori asked with dread, to which Matsuri could only shrug and Inori added, "I'll go talk to her."

Inori promptly abandoned her work while Matsuri continued to feverishly prepare for the special event. The oldest Hiiragi daughter approached Kagami's room and gently knocked on the door. "Kagami? Are you okay?"

No answer.

"I'm coming in." Inori gently informed and slowly opened the sliding door. She peered into Kagami's room and saw her little sister sitting on her bed, her back facing the door. Inori approached her silent sibling and slowly sat down next to her. "Kagami…are you okay?"

Kagami remained silent and her eyes continued to fill with water. Tears once again flowed down her cheeks as she sat facing away from Inori and looked out her window at the birds flying in the sky. She envied them because now all she wanted to do was to take off and fly far, far away.

"Kagami please say something, you're scaring me." Inori said sternly when she looked at Kagami's face and saw the tears.

"My life…is over." Kagami choked in her tears, telling Inori that something was very wrong.

She placed her hand on Kagami's shoulder and said, "Did something happen at school? Or does it have to do with Tsukasa?"

Hearing the name of her disgraced little sister prompted Kagami to scrunch her face together and quickly cover it and cry again, shocking and terrifying Inori. Something happened and it had to do with Tsukasa.

Inori grabbed Kagami's shoulders and held her firm. "Kagami if something's happened to Tsukasa you need to tell me now and we need to get mom and dad involved. Is she hurt? Is she…"

Kagami shook her head. "No, Tsukasa isn't dead…but we all might as well be."

"What are you talking about?" Inori snapped with rising fear in her voice.

Unable to put the atrocities into words, Kagami reached into her skirt pocket and pulled out her cell phone. She had received the same message with the same pictures over a dozen times since her first meltdown, some of which contained deliberately hurtful and taunting messages from other students. Kagami pulled the two infamous images up and handed her phone to Inori.

When Inori saw the baby sister that she so fondly remembered playing with and holding all those years ago, she felt her chest tighten. Seeing Tsukasa dangling from the pole in such seductive undergarments drove a spike through her heart and Inori too felt her eyes flood. It wasn't until she saw the next photo of Tsukasa devouring another girl's mouth that made her stomach churn and she felt sick.

Inori found the strength within her as the oldest Hiiragi child and quickly closed Kagami's phone. "We say nothing to anybody. Not to mom, not to dad, not to Matsuri, not to anyone. At least not until after the wedding. You have no idea how much this wedding means to us, especially dad."

Kagami dried her eyes and continued to choke and wheeze as she replied, "But you said that's next week. These pictures are already all over school. There's no way it'll stay quiet until then."

Inori gulped and knew that Kagami was right. "We have no choice but to take that chance, Kagami. This wedding means so much to dad and if this ever got to the Prime Minister's office, he would pull out of the deal and find another shrine."

Kagami slowly nodded as she understood the severity of what was happening. "I won't say a word."

Inori wrapped her hands around Kagami's head and pulled her close into a hug. "I won't either. I'm here for you, Kagami."

Despite her tough persona, Kagami cried again and hugged her big sister. Kagami was still human after all and had feelings like everybody else and seeing Tsukasa deprave herself in such a way killed her. It was becoming clear to Kagami that Tsukasa was severed from the family at this point, but knew that her individual choices were still going to hurt the family. Even when Tsukasa wasn't around to insult or assault them, she still forced her problems onto the ones that loved her.

True to themselves and to each other, Kagami and Inori remained silent on Tsukasa's newfound hobby. Later that night, Kagami tried to focus on her homework while ignoring her cell phone. The device still continued to ring and vibrate with more copies of the pictures and hurtful messages arriving. The one that nearly made Kagami crush her phone in anger was when one student sent the pictures to her with the message, "Enjoyed your sister's show. Got a birthday coming up soon, how much to use her?"

Still oblivious to his daughter's situation, Tadao sat in the kitchen and drank a cup of coffee with Miki. "Things are starting to finally look up, dear." He said with a smile.

Seeing the familiar smile of Tadao's face brightened Miki's day as she returned the facial expression and nodded. "I agree, dear."

"However, I still need to ask you," Tadao suddenly became serious. "What did you choose to do with Tsukasa? I assume you enrolled her into that psychology program Dr. Hirukawa recommended."

Miki nearly spat out her coffee when her heart suddenly jumped into her throat upon hearing the question. Now was the moment of truth. "I…I…yes. Yes…I enrolled her into that program Dr. Hirukawa recommended. I did do that…"

If it was any other day, Tadao would've seen right through his wife's lie. However, his mind was completely occupied with the upcoming wedding that he saw as the light at the end of the tunnel. He nodded and thanked Miki for doing so as the two continued to drink their coffee and talk.

_Thank God he didn't ask me about the bail money,_ Miki thought to herself and continued to present her fake smile for her husband. With every lie she spoke and with every yen she took, Miki continued to dig a deeper and larger hole for herself. She didn't have much further to dig until that hole would become her grave.

As they conversed, they had no idea that the storm for the Hiiragi family had arrived at their shrine. Six people dressed in dark clothing and each one carrying large bags of destructive supplies arrived at the shrine and began to put their plan into action. One young man opened his bag and pulled out a can of red spray paint and approached the Honden shrine. With an evil laugh, he began to paint messages of hate across the shrine, undoing all the cleaning Inori and Matsuri so painstakingly went through earlier that day.

Another man opened his bag as he approached the shrine's ema. The ema, the large wooden wall where guests would hang small wooden plaques with their wishes written on them, was the next target of vandalism. Inside the bag, hundreds of fake wooden plaques sat inside with more messages of harassment and with a quiet laugh, he began to hang them. Some he even began to nail into the ema.

The next young vandal opened his bag filled with rolled up posters and began to cement them onto the walls of the other shrines as the destruction continued. The posters were without a doubt the worst part of the destruction because of the images they contained. Were these men alone in their horrible actions? Not a chance; they were merely the puppets as the string puller watched the whole scene unfold.

With her nose in a bandage and her bruises still healing, Patricia Martin stood and watched the men continue to unroll the posters on the other shrines while others spray painted more messages on the property. She ordered her friends to break into the Honden shrine and plaster the entire inside with the posters containing the same images. She even had some of them physically destroy the toros, the decorative wooden lamps that lit the walkway.

The process took twenty minutes and when it was over, Patty-chan smiled sinisterly at what she had created. Red painted words were now put on the shrines that said horrible and vicious names against Tsukasa and the Hiiragi family. The plaques that now polluted the ema were going to tear the religious family apart but the worst part was the posters that now served as wallpaper for every shrine on the Hiiragi property. If this action didn't drive a permanent spike into the heart of the Hiiragi family, nothing would. This was Patty-chan's revenge for what Tsukasa did to her and the humiliation that the foreign student suffered.

In a bitter voice, she said, "No Tsukasa Hiiragi…_you've_ made _my_ shitlist."

The traps were set for the unsuspecting family and Patty-chan and her gang quickly retreated from the crime scene before they were spotted. Tadao Hiiragi thought that his troubles were all but over when he received the phone call earlier today about the Prime Minister's granddaughter's wedding. After Tsukasa's rape, her meltdown, her change in personality and wardrobe, her school expulsion, her arrest, her suicide attempt, and her disappearances, he thought his troubles and his family's troubles were over. Despite all of these dramatic episodes, the _true_ pain and drama hadn't even started for the Hiiragi family yet. That would all change at dawn the next morning.


	13. The Banishment

CHAPTER 13

THE BANISHMENT

It was early Sunday morning when Kagami slowly stirred from her slumber the next day. She woke up hoping that everything she had experienced yesterday was nothing more than a bad dream, but it proved to be a falsehood when her phone vibrated on her nightstand. Feeling her morning bones creak and crack with her movements, she grasped the phone and slowly opened the screen, revealing she had fifty-seven new text messages, all containing copies of Tsukasa's pictures and hurtful messages.

Kagami frowned at the phone and glanced at her alarm clock and upon seeing the time, she groaned, "It's only 6:30 in the morning and I already feel like dying. I need to change my number."

She wanted to stay in bed not only for the rest of the day, but for the rest of her life. Her autopilot routine however said differently and took control of her body, forcing her to get out of bed and shuffle out of her room. Inadvertently, Kagami slipped her cell phone into her pocket while she walked. As Kagami planned to walk downstairs, she stopped and slowly looked down the hall at Tsukasa's bedroom door. _I wonder_, she thought to herself as she shuffled over to the door and slowly slid it open.

The oldest Hiiragi twin only met silence and darkness in the empty bedroom. Tsukasa was still missing from their home as Kagami sighed and closed the door again, resuming her initial mission to arrive in the kitchen. The house was quiet. She was the first one awake this morning, which wasn't out of the ordinary but Kagami suddenly felt uneasy and paranoid, even though she was in the safety of her own house.

Wondering what else was going on in Japan and the world, she walked to the front door and opened it to retrieve her morning newspaper. Blasted by the freezing winter air, Kagami felt a chill run down her spine as she bent down and scooped up the paper and unintentionally looked towards the shrine. If only she kept her face away from it, then she would've had a few more minutes or even an hour of peace before her world was furthermore trampled upon.

Something was painted on the Torii structure gate and Kagami felt the need to investigate. She shuffled through the morning cold, some fog still present but was clearing as the sun rose into the sky. It didn't take long until the kanji was clear enough to read and Kagami suddenly froze like the ground beneath her feet and her heart pounded.

"Whorehouse."

The crudely drawn kanji sliced Kagami to pieces on the inside and tears formed in her eyes. She wanted to run and call the police but knew what this was. This wasn't a random act of bigotry. This was a vicious attack on the Hiiragi family but Kagami had to see it for herself as she felt her knees crack and quake as she moved forward and under the Torii. In the back of her mind, she knew that somehow, Tsukasa was involved in this and feared the pictures ruling all of cyberspace right now were the cause of it.

When she walked up the stone steps and saw the shrine's entire layout, the newspaper slipped from her grasp and landed at her feet. Through the clearing fog, Kagami saw painted messages of hate all across the other shrines that had words and phrases such as "whore," "cunt," "die, bitch, die," "burn," and "home of the slut." Kagami stepped forward and saw the Toro lanterns destroyed and scattered all across the yard and some also had messages of hate on them. When Kagami approached the other shrines, she finally understood the depth of how much trouble her family was in and it was serious.

The posters Patty-chan and her friends put up last night were of the images of Tsukasa either on the pole or forcing her tongue down the throat of another girl. The foreign student was able to print the cell phone images onto large posters and they were cemented onto the shrines. Some of the posters had captions printed in the image of Tsukasa hanging from the pole that said "Tsukasa's other Miko service." The ones that showed Tsukasa's deep kiss with Yuka Miyakawa held captions that said "The Slut of Saitama."

It didn't stop there when the ema caught Kagami's attention and how full it was with plaques. She slowly walked over to it and soon realized that it too was the victim of vandalism. Plaques read "I want to plow Tsukasa," "Dance for me, Tsukasa," "I want a threesome with the Hiiragi twins," "Suck it dry, Tsukasa." Some didn't even have fake and hurtful wishes; others just contained taunts. "Are you still tight, Tsukasa?" "Do spoiled Mikos go to Hell?" "Not as hot as your mother, but you're still doable." "Your father must be proud." Another had a crudely drawn picture of Tsukasa's face and it said "skank bank" with arrows pointing to her.

With every word, Kagami felt more and more defeated and humiliated as she was on the verge of collapsing to her knees. She suddenly heard something to her right, prompting her to turn her head and stare down at the cobblestone walkway that led to the Honden. Someone was inside the shrine and Kagami felt her blood boil, thinking she had cornered one of the vandals. She quickly approached the Honden and saw the lock had been broken off and the door was open.

Carefully walking up the wooden steps, Kagami entered the largest shrine on the Hiiragi's property and was faced with more destruction. It sickened the twin-tailed girl to see such a grotesque disregard for religious sanctity as more of the vile posters were hanging inside. Some were attached over religious artifacts and kanji also polluted the sacred walls. "Slut of Saitama" was spray painted everywhere, even on statues of Buddha and other religious beings that were once honored in the shrine.

Kagami turned her head and saw a man with his back facing her and he stared at the kami of the goddess Amaterasu. Amaterasu wasn't fortunate enough to escape the destruction as her fragile tapestry of her image was torn to shreds by human hands and in her place, a poster of Tsukasa's kiss replaced it, still with the caption "The Slut of Saitama."

Tadao Hiiragi held the remaining tapestry in his hands, his back still facing his daughter. He held the religious artifact and his head bowed before it, as if he was holding a dead body and weeping over it. Motionless he stood until he lifted his head back up and gazed at the picture of his nearly naked daughter indulging herself in such promiscuous and sinful behavior.

"Dad…?" She wheezed in a fragile voice.

He still stood there and remained motionless as he eyed the revolting image of his daughter. When he spoke, it made Kagami jump in her fragile state as his low voice echoed in the tarnished structure. "Don't speak, Kagami. I know what you're going to say…and you can forget about it. What happened to this property…is unforgivable. The people who did this will face wrath in the next life, but your sister is to blame for this too."

Kagami gulped. "Dad…Tsukasa—"

"Silence!" His thunderous voice ripped throughout the shrine and made Kagami fall to her knees. "I don't want to hear that name in this shrine, or on this property, or in our household ever again! No daughter of mine would defile themselves in such a disgusting way! This…_person_…is banished from our family! She is never welcomed here again!"

The order coming from her own father made Kagami's eyes water and she let her tears fall. She was officially commanded to forget about her little twin sister, the one she was born with, grew up, became incredibly close with, laughed with, cried with, and lived with. Kagami was powerless to do anything, too. Tsukasa was still missing and she had no idea where she was so she couldn't warn her or even say she'd still be there for her. Her younger sister was still out somewhere in the streets of Japan and for all Kagami knew, she could be dead.

"Dad…please don't." She whispered.

"I have no choice, Kagami. We need this wedding to happen. It's literally sink or swim for us and if we lose the Prime Minister of Japan, our family will collapse. We'll lose our shrine, we'll lose our home, we'll lose everything because since your sister's rape, no one has been visiting the shrine or making donations." Tadao ranted. "Our contributors in Tokyo withdrew their financial links with us when your sister tried to kill herself and we still have to keep donating to our charity."

Kagami thought it through in her head. She knew that on the first of every month, the Hiiragi family made generous financial donations to a charity. The charity they donated to was for homeless children and their families in Tokyo and the Hiiragi family never missed a public appearance to give the money with New Years being the only exception because it was a holiday. The Hiiragi family did have money saved in another bank account specifically for the charity and in addition to the Prime Minister's granddaughter's wedding next week, Tadao was expected to give the charity the money that week too. It was going to be the first of February next week, a month since Tsukasa was raped.

"You…you think Tsukasa will ruin this opportunity for us…?" Kagami sniffled as she wiped her tears.

Tadao slowly nodded. "Apparently she already has. When did she do this?"

"It couldn't have been Tsukasa that did this to the shrine," Kagami protested. "If you mean when these pictures were taken, I don't know. It could've been the first time she disappeared on us."

Tadao squinted and shook his head. "I don't think so, Kagami. Look."

Kagami looked to where her father was pointing at the image of Tsukasa kissing Yuka Miyakawa and at her left shoulder, which was barely visible but Tadao saw something. "You see that dark area on your sister's back? That's a tattoo."

Kagami gulped again and her heart skipped a beat. "A tattoo? Are you sure?"

"Yes, and I know that's a new thing. When I pulled your sister out of the bathtub, when she nearly died, she didn't have one." Tadao remembered that event. "Your sister is still out roaming the streets and doing God knows what."

The oldest Hiiragi twin choked again and looked up at her father. "How can we be sure?"

Tadao turned and Kagami winched in horror at the face her father had on. A glare and a frown had come together and collided on his face to create the angriest and dirtiest look Kagami had ever seen on anyone. Tadao dropped the shredded tapestry of the Japanese goddess and began to walk past Kagami.

"I think your mother has some explaining to do." Tadao sneered and callously walked past his crying daughter.

Kagami was left alone in the Honden shrine as she covered her eyes and continued to sob. For the first time in her life she was completely out of ideas and didn't know what to do. The family drama was getting worse and it wasn't slowing down. Tsukasa was now banned from the Hiiragi household forever, making Kagami feel sick. In their school group during the innocent days, Kagami was seen as the unofficial leader of them and kept things moving smoothly and made sure everyone around her was focused. Now she sat in her family's desecrated shrine, a broken young woman and unable to even stand anymore let alone keep the sinking ship that was her family from going under.

Her cell phone suddenly rang and thought it was another pervert or monster looking to further demean Kagami with hurtful words about Tsukasa. Either way, she looked at the screen and she suddenly felt warmth when she saw it was Konata that was calling her.

_Thank you_ she thought to herself and answered, "Hello, Konata."

Expecting to hear great relief from her otaku friend, Konata unfortunately delivered a slow and depressing response. "Hey, Kagami. We have another problem here."

Feeling her heart speed up again, Kagami stuttered, "Wh…wha…what…what…what now?"

Konata Izumi stood downtown near Gamers and had her eyes locked on a disturbing billboard that was put up by unknown assailants the previous night. She sighed and said, "Let me just say I don't think it's a good idea for you to go out in public anytime soon."

Kagami sniffled again and knew that somehow, her day was about to get just a little bit worse and she hadn't even eaten breakfast yet. "Why?"

"Just trust me on this…and disconnect your landline and change your cell number." Konata finished and as Kagami continued to demand more information, Konata closed her phone and hung up on her. It pained Konata to do it, but what she saw couldn't be put into any words, especially in Kagami's fragile state.

The short blue-haired girl looked up at the top of an anime store and shuddered at the billboard. Tsukasa's picture of her hanging from the pole was all over the large board and could be seen by the thousands of people walking below it. It held a new caption within its image that said, "Looking for a release? Call this number and ask for 'The Slut of Saitama.'" The Hiiragi's home phone number was also printed in the image.

Konata shook her head with deep remorse and continued walking. Even the blue-haired otaku, who was no psychologist or family therapist and lacked any real serious academic abilities, knew what she saw when she looked at the Hiiragi family now. It was over for them. On this day, life as they knew it had ended. People were already pointing and laughing at the billboard as they continued to take pictures of it and spread it around. Konata knew it, but the tragic part was the only people who didn't know the Hiiragi family was finished were the Hiiragi's themselves. The day was still young, however, and Kagami's pain hadn't even started yet.

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_Tsukasa sat in Kagami's room with her sister and the two ten-year-old girls worked on their homework together. Humming happily, Tsukasa rested on her stomach while rocking her feet back and forth in the air. She was having trouble comprehending her math homework and she glanced at Kagami, who seemed to be blowing through it as if it wasn't there._

_ "Hey sis, can you help me with this?" Tsukasa asked innocently, her droopy eyes trembling with admiration for her sister._

_ Kagami looked at her and smiled. "What's the problem, Tsukasa?"_

_ "What do I do with this division problem again?" Tsukasa asked as she slid her math book in front of Kagami._

_ Her bigger sister examined the problem and it didn't take her long to figure it out. "Oh, with that one you bring the decimals straight down and don't forget that you'll have a remainder at the end. If you don't you didn't multiply it right."_

_ Tsukasa followed along until something broke the peaceful harmony. The front door tore open and a crying girl dashed into the house and up the stairs. The Hiiragi twins looked and saw fifteen-year-old Inori run past their open door in tears and when she disappeared in her room, she slammed the door. Exchanging quick looks of confusion with each other, the Hiiragi twins quickly stood but Miki also suddenly appeared at Kagami's door._

_ "Girls, what happened?" She asked with concern._

_ "We don't know, mom. Inori just ran up and into her room crying." Kagami said._

_ "Oh dear…I'll go talk to her." Miki said and walked to her oldest daughter's door and knocked lightly on it. "Inori…sweetheart? Are you okay?"_

_ Miki heard her oldest daughter sniffling in her room and she was able to squeeze out, "Come in, mom."_

_ Smiling to herself, Miki slid the door opened and walked into her daughter's room and saw Inori stretched on her bed and drying her tears. "What happened today, sweetheart?"_

_ "Kohei dumped me." Inori forced out, drawing more tears from her eyes._

_ Miki sighed. "I see. I'm so sorry, Inori. I know you really liked that boy. What happened?"_

_ Inori pulled herself up and composed herself enough to tell her mother the story of her bad breakup. "Kohei and I were walking home from school and we kissed and he said he wanted more. He said he wanted to…fondle me and that he wanted to do more."_

_ Miki's eyelids twitched in anger over the boy's desires but kept calm for Inori's sake and resumed talking to her. "And what did you do?"_

_ Inori sniffled again. "I told him no. I told him I wasn't ready and that I wanted to wait until I was married before I…did those things."_

_ Miki breathed both a sigh of relief and pride for her daughter. Tadao's principles had rooted themselves deep within Inori and she was sticking to them. "I see. Well Inori, I knew this day was going to come, but I wish it wouldn't. I just want to say I'm very proud of you and that you should be proud with yourself. You made a very mature and grownup decision and I'm sure your father would agree with me. I know it hurts, but trust me sweetheart, there are other boys out there."_

_ "I know, mom, but that's not what's bothering me." Inori whimpered. "I'm upset the most because I thought Kohei was different. I thought he understood my family's religious principles and that he respected them. Are all men like this?"_

_ Miki couldn't help but smile. "Your father isn't. From the moment I met your father, I knew he was a kind, gentle, and understanding man that was different from the rest. You'll find the right man someday, Inori, and when you do, it'll be the happiest day of your life. At least until your wedding day and when you become a mother."_

_ Inori wiped her tears, smiled, and felt much better. "Thank you mom."_

_ As the two continued to talk, Tsukasa and Kagami held their ears to the wall that connected to Inori's room and listened to every word. Tsukasa pulled her ear away first and said, "Hey sis, what does fondle mean?"_

_ A bright red blush covered Kagami's face and she quickly shook her head. "Nothing, Tsukasa, forget about it. Boys are just…weird and gross."_

_ The Hiiragi twins resumed their homework as Kagami continued to mutter about how stupid she thought boys were. It wasn't until Tsukasa's innocence broke through again that renewed the conversation when she said, "Wouldn't it be wonderful to have someone special with you? I think that would be so romantic."_

_ Kagami rolled her eyes. "Whatever, I think love is overrated. It only leads to fighting and breakups like for Inori."_

_ Tsukasa refused to let her childish charm fade. "I don't know, sis. I've always wanted to be a bride. I wish that could be my job."_

_ "Why's that?" Kagami moaned._

_ "Well, you know mom and dad's wedding picture hanging in the living room?"_

_ Kagami nodded._

_ "Well, I always thought that mom looked so beautiful in her kimono and dad was so handsome. They look like celebrities in that picture and I always thought that love was like that picture." Tsukasa said. "Love is as beautiful as mom is and I really like that. I want to be as pretty and wonderful as mom is and to find a boy that is handsome and we would be the prettiest couple in Japan."_

_ Kagami sighed with a smile. She couldn't help but feel moved by her sister's innocent words and thought to herself I hope you stay this pure forever, Tsukasa. The world needs more girls like you._

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The violent burst of thrash metal ripped Tsukasa from her dream and her consciousness returned. She stirred and slowly opened her eyes and took in her surroundings. It only took a second for her to see that she wasn't in her own room. She was laying on a small, squeaky bed with a single blanket draped over her body and she slowly sat up. Her head was throbbing in pain as the pulsating music continued to make it worse. Looking around the room, she was in a space no bigger than a janitor's closet with more posters of punk bands on the walls and other gothic paraphernalia, including candleholders shaped like skulls and dead bodies.

Finding the strength in her legs again, Tsukasa stood and limped to the only door in the closet space and opened it. She recognized where she was instantly when she saw the hair salon setup and tattoo parlor. She was in the back area of The Black Window and assumed Yuka Miyakawa was around somewhere.

Tsukasa eventually navigated her trembling and weak body through the back of the shop and reemerged in the front and saw Yuka behind the counter. When Yuka looked up and saw Tsukasa, she couldn't help but smile and even laugh as she picked up a remote control and turned down the music so they could talk.

"Good morning, Tsukasa." Yuka said. "I hope you slept well. After nearly being asleep for two days straight I should say you are well rested."

Tsukasa's eyelids twitched. "Two…two days?"

"That's right. I never saw anyone do that much coke and still have enough energy to put on a show for the entire rave." Yuka said with a grin.

The youngest Hiiragi twin felt funny and she lifted her hands and began to feel her face. "Is that why I can't feel my nose or lips?"

Yuka nodded. "Don't worry, that'll go away soon. Just keep breathing through your nose and you'll feel normal again soon."

Tsukasa waddled towards her friend and pulled a chair over to her and continued to massage her lips and nose while breathing. "What the hell happened at that rave? I remember this dream; I was dancing from this pole and I kissed you."

Yuka deepened her smile and started laughing, grabbing Tsukasa's attention as she looked at her in confusion. "That wasn't a dream. You're quite a good dancer."

Tsukasa shook her head violently to wake herself up. "That explains my dream…and why there are these friction burns on my legs."

"Yeah those poles weren't meant for dancing, trust me, I know." Yuka said, still with a creepy smile. "But you handled it like a pro. Anyway, some of the boys from the rave are coming over tonight with some of your favorite _powder_, if you know what I mean. You in?"

Tsukasa nodded passively with little emotion as she was still working on getting the feeling back into her face. "What's that back room for, anyway?"

"Oh you mean the one you were sleeping in? I sometimes sleep here at the shop if I'm too high to find my way back home or if I'm _entertaining_ a customer." She said seductively. "Next time I have a customer who wants a little extra, you should join us. Sales for me would skyrocket."

Tsukasa squinted at the idea. "I don't do men…at least not anymore."

As the two friends continued to converse, Hiyori Tamura was trying to keep her mind focused on the human activity around her as she walked down the street. Trying to forget about the horrendous event that happened to Kagami the previous day, she continued to walk in the otaku districts in the area while trying to clear her mind. It proved futile though when she too witnessed the evil billboard that Konata also found which furthered the Hiiragi's predicament. She and Konata were exchanging text messages with each other about what to do. Kagami was Konata's best friend and the blue-haired otaku vowed that she wasn't going to let her friend sink. Hiyori on the other hand still felt guilty about her perverse manga about Tsukasa's rape and felt she still owed Kagami a debt. Together, they were going to do whatever it took to see Kagami and her family through this trying time.

Hiyori continued to walk down the sidewalk and she approached a new store that she never had been in before. To make up for the upcoming Comiket, she wanted to create a new manga centering on a medieval gothic fantasy with two girls being the protagonists. In her mind, one of the girls was tall and slim with minty green hair and eyes, while the second was much shorter also with green eyes and reddish hair. She approached a shop called The Black Window in hopes of getting creative ideas for wardrobes to draw and she entered the store.

She was immediately blasted by the new culture and readied her sketchbook as Yuka looked up from her desk again. "Can I help you?"

"I'm just looking…for now." Hiyori said and began to look around the store at all the different ensembles of clothing hanging from the walls. Feverishly, she began to sketch pairs of boots, tops, and trinkets for her manga. She was so busy sketching that she didn't notice the second girl sitting next to Yuka with black dyed hair and a single blue, tattered stripe running down it. The second girl also held a magazine on dark clothing to her face but slowly lowered it when she heard Hiyori's voice.

She squinted to form a glare at Hiyori and raised her magazine again to cover her face and said, "How's your dirty manga coming along, Tamura-san?"

Hiyori froze like a statue and nearly broke her mechanical pencil in the process as she stiffened. Slowly turning her head, she looked at Yuka, who had a confused look on her face and then pointed to the girl sitting next to her with the magazine covering her face. Hiyori slowly turned and replied, "You…you sound familiar. Have we met before?"

With the magazine still covering her face, Tsukasa replied, "You could say that. Last time I saw you, you were on the ass-end of an ass-kicking."

Hiyori gulped and suddenly felt paranoid. Was she being setup for something? Trying to lubricate her cotton-dry mouth again, she said, "I…I don't…I…don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, I think you do." Tsukasa hissed with her face still covered. "Was my rape really that much of a turn on for you? Do you get your kicks drawing little dicks, you filthy chick?"

Hiyori nearly collapsed. "Tsukasa Hiiragi?!"

Tsukasa quickly lowered her magazine, revealing her sinister glare and gritting teeth. "Surprise, Tamura-san."

The female otaku didn't know what to do next. This wasn't the Tsukasa Hiiragi that once graced the hallways of their high school and brightened everyone's day with her happy and cheerful personality. This _monstrosity _was something else. Hiyori Tamura was a girl that paid very close attention to details; a trait she acquired through all her years of practice as an amateur doujin artist and when she looked at Tsukasa, it was as if someone's worst nightmare had taken physical form. Her skin was losing color, her eyes were like two burned out embers, and the look across her face was so dirty and so evil, it couldn't even be considered human anymore.

"Wha…what are you doing here, Tsukasa-san?! Your family is worried sick about you!" Hiyori exclaimed. "Do you have any idea what Kagami is going through right now?! She's devastated by your antics and had a breakdown yesterday in school."

"Cry me a river!" Tsukasa snapped and her glare tightened. "You better get the hell out of here, Tamura-san, before I shove my boot so far up your ass you'll be using my laces as dental floss!"

Hiyori couldn't believe what she was hearing from the once docile Hiiragi twin. "Tsu…Tsukasa-san…I—"

"Listen, bitch, I don't know who you are or why you're here, but I'd listen to my baby if I were you." Yuka stood and joined Tsukasa in her glare at Hiyori. "This wild child ripped her own sister a new one so I'd leave before I'm forced to clean up your dead carcass in my store."

Feeling outnumbered and exposed, Hiyori knew she wasn't going to win this engagement. She had to retreat and without one more word, she quickly fled the store as Yuka and Tsukasa sat back down and resumed their inner circle of anger as Hiyori continued to run down the street.

Once out of breath, Hiyori stopped and breathed hard and tried to quell her pounding heart as she tried to take in what had just happened. Did that really happened, or was it just a bad dream? Hiyori even pinched herself and when she felt pain, she knew it wasn't a dream. Without a second thought, Hiyori pulled her cell phone out and found Konata's number and typed a text message.

"Found Tsukasa at a place called The Black Window. Tell Kagami. We should be here for her when she sees Tsukasa."

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Hiyori waited around The Black Window for Kagami and Konata. She had exchanged text messages with Konata over the next hour trying to setup a confrontation for Kagami with Tsukasa. Konata and Hiyori were determined to end this quarrel that was tearing the Hiiragi family apart today. It became more complicated however when Hiyori witnessed three shifty-looking men walk into the store and she could see them talking and laughing with Yuka and Tsukasa through the store's window. Nearly two hours had passed until Kagami and Konata arrived at The Black Window and met with Hiyori outside.

Kagami quickly approached Hiyori and stood firm with her. "Please tell me, Tamura-san, how bad is it?"

Hiyori gulped. "I won't lie to you, Kagami-san, its bad. I think Tsukasa is…well, not going to cooperate with us but I couldn't walk away without trying first."

Kagami was already on the verge of tears and, to everyone's surprise, hugged Hiyori again. "Thank you…for being there for me, Tamura-san. Thank you."

Hiyori patted her on the back. "I owed you big time, Kagami-san."

Konata and Hiyori each took Kagami's hands and rubbed them, giving Kagami support and the courage to walk towards the dark store to confront Tsukasa and hopefully stop the fighting. Konata and Hiyori looked at each other one final time as Kagami grasped the door handle but suddenly froze and looked back at her friends. "Aren't you two coming with?" She asked groggily.

Konata and Hiyori looked at each other and back at Kagami. Konata took the initiative and said, "We thought it was best if you went in there alone. Tsukasa needs to know that it's just you speaking for your family and that we didn't force you to do it."

Nodding slowly, Kagami opened the door and disappeared inside the store. It was out of their hands now. Only the Gods could save the Hiiragi's now as the two female otakus waited and listened outside for the first signs of trouble.

Kagami's sudden entrance sounded the bell and grabbed the attention of everyone inside. She saw Yuka and recognized her as the girl who was locking lips with her sister in the infamous pictures. There were three other boys in the store, also dressed the same way as Tsukasa and Kagami thought that she was given a preview of what the demons of the underworld looked like.

"Tsukasa? Where are you?!" Kagami called with newfound strength.

With looks of confusion, the crowd of demons stepped aside and revealed Tsukasa standing only a mere fifteen feet away, but Kagami thought they might as well be worlds apart when she saw her sister again. Since the last time Kagami saw her younger fraternal twin in a hospital bed, she could see that somehow her situation was still rotting. Tsukasa stood before her sister with her arms folded across her chest and her usual glare fixed on her face.

"What are you doing here, Kagami?" She spat with such venom in her words.

Kagami gulped and stood tall again. "I'm here to talk to you. I want you to come home with me. Our shrine was vandalized by some horrible people because of what you did at that party. Your pictures are all over school and town."

Tsukasa tightened her glare. "And you want me to come home? What would dad say?"

"Dad is furious. He won't even reference you by your name anymore. He even told me that you're banished from the household forever but I still haven't given up on you, Tsukasa. You're my sister and I love you so much…so much that I don't even think any human can comprehend it." Kagami continued, feeling that at any second, the dam holding her emotions together was about to break. "When I left home to come here, mom and dad were yelling and fighting with each other. Mom lied to us when she said she had taken care of you. She released you from the hospital with no consequences. It seems that no one knows how to help you but damn it, I'm not going to stop trying."

Tsukasa stood like a tree and continued to listen.

"I know what you're going through, Tsukasa. Miyuki explained it to me. You blame yourself for what happened to you on New Years, and you want a more aggressive personality because you saw yourself as weak and unable to stop what happened. You think that this new bad girl attitude is helping you cope and rebuild your life, but it's not, Tsukasa, it's not." Kagami continued. "You're hurting all of us, Tsukasa, the ones who truly love you. Please, take my hand. I'll take you home and stand up to dad for you. I won't let him throw you out and we'll fix this. Please, Tsukasa, or you may never have another chance."

Kagami outstretched her hand and her heart pounded as she waited for her emotionless sister's response. All eyes were on Tsukasa as she narrowed her eyes, glanced at Kagami's hand, and fixed her frown back on her older sister. She opened her mouth and replied, "Get lost, Kagami, before I kick your ass right off this fucked up planet."

"Tsukasa, please!" Kagami yelled at the top of her lungs and the dam holding her emotions together shattered and her eyes quickly drained tears. "We're falling apart without you! I need you, Tsukasa! You're my sister and I don't know how to go on without you! I'm begging you…let me help you!"

Kagami shuffled forward, her body trembling and her face showing nothing but defeat as she outstretched her hands and grasped Tsukasa's dark wardrobe and Kagami pulled her sister tight. Tsukasa remained unresponsive as Kagami continued to spill her heart.

"You know I've always put on a tough and hard personality, but that was all for you, Tsukasa! I was always brave and I was always together because I always knew I had you behind me! You prop me up! You give me the strength to get out of bed every morning and live! Without you, I cannot keep living! I wouldn't know how! I can't go back to school anymore because of those pictures and I felt so defenseless yesterday!" Kagami wailed and began to lose the feelings in her legs and began to slowly melt to the floor, Tsukasa's clothes slipping through her fingers as she fell. "I don't want to lose you, Tsukasa! You nearly died in that hospital and even in that bathtub but I was there for you! It was my blood that saved your life! I'd be willing to cut off my own arms and legs if it would help you, Tsukasa! And mom and dad are growing further apart because of this! They won't stop fighting and Matsuri thinks they're going to get a divorce!"

Tsukasa still remained passive when Kagami landed on her knees and held her sister's legs and cried on them.

"You were so pure and so innocent! Please, come back to us and be our innocent sister again! I don't want to leave this place without you, Tsukasa!" Kagami began to finish her plea. "If I'm forced to leave you here, I don't know what I'll do! I could kill myself if I lose you…I beg you! I beg you! I beg you!"

Kagami finished her heartbreaking and desperate attempt to reach her sister. The twin-tailed sister continued crying on the floor while hugging Tsukasa's fishnet-covered legs. It was truly a horrible sight to see the once proud and mighty Kagami Hiiragi who stood tall now curled into a ball at her sister's feet in a crying, watery mess. Silence entrenched The Black Window as Kagami continued to cry and everyone awaited Tsukasa's next move.

As Kagami cried, she suddenly heard something. She heard her sister and it sounded like she was crying, too. Ceasing her wailing, Kagami opened her flooded eyes and looked up and saw her sister covering her face with her hands and appeared to be truly crying. A weak smile tugged at Kagami's mouth and it seemed that she had broken through to her baby sister as she pulled herself up and stood eye-to-eye with her. Tsukasa kept her face covered with her hands as she continued to cry.

"Hey, hey, it's okay." Kagami said with a growing smile through her emotionally-driven hiccups and was about to hug her sister.

Tsukasa suddenly stopped crying while holding her hands over her face and the sudden move stopped Kagami. Slowly, Tsukasa removed her hands from her face, revealing an evil and sinister smile with eyes of an animal that weren't spilling a single tear. When Tsukasa locked eyes with Kagami, the youngest Hiiragi twin deepened her smile and began laughing at Kagami. The sound of her sinister laugh tore Kagami to shreds on the inside as the oldest Hiiragi twin's meltdown neared another round.

"You're pathetic, Kagami Hiiragi." Tsukasa laughed and with one sudden movement, pushed Kagami away, knocking the twin-tailed girl off balance and she tripped on her heel, making her fall to the floor. The move sent The Black Window into a laughing frenzy as they pointed and taunted Kagami as she rubbed her buttocks on the tile floor.

It suddenly happened. Kagami Hiiragi's face scrunched together again and her tears poured from her eyes as she looked up at Tsukasa, who crossed her arms across her chest again and continued to laugh at Kagami. Kagami screamed. She screamed her sister's name so loud that it prompted Konata and Hiyori to quickly swoop into the store as they thought it had turned violent.

The two otakus bent down to Kagami as she continued to cry and Tsukasa stepped forward. The three girls fighting for Tsukasa gave her a look of shock and terror at what she had done. She had completely broken her sister and Kagami couldn't even speak anymore as she continued to cry on the floor.

"You're nothing, Kagami Hiiragi. You're an emotionally-crippled fuck, your soul is nothing but piss and every single thing about you is pathetic," Tsukasa spat with a smile gritting her teeth. "I could squat right here and shit out a better sister than you. Everything about me was used by you to only make yourself look better, and look at you now. Crying all over yourself like a goddamn baby. Now who's the baby of the family now that dad threw me out? You want more proof I'm not a baby?! Yuka, get over here!"

Yuka Miyakawa, who was holding her sides together from her endless laughter, heard her name and quickly sprinted to Tsukasa's side, thinking she knew where this was going. She was right when Tsukasa grabbed Yuka's face and reenacted the infamous pictures all around town. Tsukasa inhaled the girl's lips and forced herself into Yuka's mouth for Kagami to see.

Seeing it in person was more horrifying than in the pictures. Konata and Hiyori turned away while Kagami was stuck in a trance watching the whole thing. Breathing hard, her surroundings became surreal as she watched her sister kiss another girl while the boys around them continued to laugh and point at Kagami.

"No…no…no…_no!_" Kagami cried and grabbed her head and rolled onto her side, crying and screaming with all her might.

Konata and Hiyori had seen enough. Each girl took one of Kagami's hands and began to drag her out of The Black Window as Tsukasa ended her kiss and watched with satisfied eyes. Still laughing, Tsukasa watched Hiyori take the lead by dragging the thrashing Kagami out of the store. Before Konata could leave, Tsukasa furthered the angst.

"Hey Kona-chan." She hissed, grabbing the blue-haired girl's attention as Hiyori and Kagami disappeared outside. "Let me know if sis dies. It'll be good news for your mother; she'll finally have some company as they both feed the worms."

Konata's eyes twitched but she suddenly formed a glare, surprising even Tsukasa. The short girl stood and approached Tsukasa, stopping short of her and looked as if she was ready to smack the troubled Hiiragi twin. Instead, Konata remained calm.

"One of these days, Tsukasa, you'll be more haunted by those words than I'll be." Konata calmly said.

Tsukasa glared at Konata and abruptly spat on her face, making Konata flinch. Now Konata looked as if she wanted to cry as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a handkerchief and wiped it from her eyes. When her face was clear, she stood tall in front of Tsukasa again.

"No matter what you do, I'll always love you, Tsukasa. I'll always be here." Konata finished and quickly left the store as Tsukasa smiled and returned to her existence.

Outside, Hiyori struggled to keep Kagami under control as her thrashing became more erratic. She kept screaming for Tsukasa as Konata came over and hugged Kagami but the outbursts continued.

"I have to go back in there!" Kagami yelled, attracting onlookers.

Konata shook her head. "No, Kagami, it's over!"

"My sister's in there!" Kagami screamed the loudest yet and people began to call the police.

"Your sister's _gone_, Kagami!" Konata screamed back and held her distraught friend tighter. "She's gone! We've lost her!"

"She's in there with those crazy people!" Kagami wailed again as Hiyori too was at a loss of what to do. "It was my duty to protect her and look at what she's become because of me! If you have a gun, Konata, use it on me now, I'm dead either way!"

Konata couldn't hold her tears either and released them as she held Kagami's head close to her petite body and kept trying to shush her as Hiyori also slumped to the ground and hugged the disastrous mess. Hiyori looked at her watch and saw the time read 10:30 am. The day was still young for horror.

_What next?_ That was all Hiyori Tamura and Konata Izumi could ask themselves.

**A/N: I know, probably my darkest chapter yet. Don't worry, it only gets worse from here on out. I got a lot of messages demanding to know how it's going to end and rest assure, I have an ending that I don't think ANYONE will see coming. Stay tuned!**


	14. The Change

CHAPTER 14

THE CHANGE

***A/N: Interesting things been happening lately. I've gotten bad reviews for stories before, but I've NEVER gotten demands to stop and delete a story before in the reviews. Apparently one anonymous reviewer wants this story to stop. As an American, I love two things: freedom of speech, and entertaining with drama. Trolls will be trolls but I will not stop and I will complete the story! **

"Thank you so much for bringing her home, Konata-chan." Miki said with gratitude in her voice.

Konata nodded back as she stood before Miki Hiiragi in her foyer and was ready to leave. The blue-haired girl reminisced about what transpired since Kagami's confrontation at The Black Window. It was heartbreaking for both Konata and Hiyori to tear Kagami away from the store as the twin-tailed girl continued to scream and thrash in public, creating a spectacle of panic. When they were finally able to pull Kagami to the train station, she was completely drained of energy and was on the verge of passing out. Hiyori caught another train to go home while Konata decided to take the initiative for her best friend and take her home. During the train ride home, Konata let Kagami rest on her lap as she stroked her head and long pigtails.

Konata whispered supportive words to Kagami as she continued to leak water from her eyes. "I'm so sorry that this happened to you, Kagami. I can't even imagine how you feel but I'm here for you. I'm always here for you."

Konata helped Kagami from the station to the Hiiragi home, where Miki took her daughter in and put her to bed right away. Kagami couldn't speak, even when Miki tried to talk to her about what had happened. It was Konata that was forced to fill Miki in on the macabre details of how dark Tsukasa truly had become. It devastated Miki but at least she knew her youngest daughter was safe…more or less. It was also because that Konata had to take Kagami home that the blue-haired girl learned about the attack on the shrine.

"It was nothing." Konata said. "Kagami is my best friend and I wanted to help her. I just wish we could've helped Tsukasa, too."

Miki bowed to Konata and thanked her again. Konata gave the ailing family her support and left their home. Kagami needed to be with her family now and she also needed rest after such a gut-wrenching experience with Tsukasa. She was taken to her room and the distraught girl collapsed on her bed and was out like a light switch.

When Konata left the Hiiragi household, Miki slowly closed their front door and dreaded the rest of her day. She was thankful that Konata not only brought her daughter home, but was also thankful for her because she halted her ongoing fight with Tadao. Tadao was adamant about prying an answer from his wife regarding why Tsukasa was still on the loose and causing trouble for the family. Konata's arrival with Kagami brought a momentary ceasefire between the married couple, which showed its expiration when Miki walked back into the kitchen where her husband waited.

"We're not done here, Miki. I don't want any more excuses and I don't want any more lies." He was incredibly harsh in his tone. "How am I supposed to trust you if you keep lying to not only me, but also to the whole family?"

Miki narrowed her eyes at him. "I had to; you would've taken Tsukasa away from me!"

"You're damn right I would have and you should have let me, too! You saw those pictures vandalizing our shrine! Look at what she is doing to herself and to us! What if she got hurt, or worse, killed at that place she was at when those pictures were taken?! What if she was raped again?!" Tadao added. "Now I want to know why you let her walk out of that hospital after she tried to kill herself and not enroll her in Dr. Hirukawa's psychological program!"

"Stop yelling, you're going to wake up Kagami!" Miki hissed in a low and aggressive voice.

"Don't dodge the question!" Tadao lowered his voice but still hissed back.

Miki turned away. "Inori and Matsuri need help taking that garbage off the shrines. I'm going to help them."

As Miki turned to leave, Tadao rushed in front of her and blocked her path. "They're fine! You're not going anywhere until you tell me why you let Tsukasa leave that hospital and let this happen to us!"

Before Miki could respond, the phone began ringing and looking for a distraction, the Hiiragi housewife quickly walked over and snatched it and put it to her ear. "Hiiragi residence."

Tadao heard someone on the other side talking to his wife and as he was about to intervene again, Miki showed an angry face before she changed and replied angrily.

"No, this is not the home of any slut so stop calling us already!" Miki yelled and slammed the phone down, nearly breaking it in the process.

Tadao sighed. "Another one?"

"Another one."

"How did these perverts get our phone number?" Tadao asked.

Miki shook her head and her face became red again as she struggled to hold in her tears as she choked and hiccupped through her response. "That…that's my baby…they're calling a slut. My baby…"

Seeing Miki struggle and slowly slouch to the floor while holding her stomach in pain loosened Tadao's anger at his wife. That was the fourteenth call they had received since breakfast where men were asking for "the slut of Saitama" and how much it was to rent her. It tore Miki and Tadao to pieces to hear such disgusting humans speak of their youngest daughter in such a ghastly way. "Rent" her, as if she was an appliance. Tadao approached his wife and helped her to her feet again and led her to the living room to sit her on the sofa. Rubbing her shoulders, he decided to let the hospital release issue go…for now. This issue with Tsukasa in the pictures brought back the nightmare for him, too, when he watched the video of her rape at the police station and it came to the point where he simply didn't want to think about it anymore.

At the Hiiragi's shrine, the two oldest daughters were saddled with the burden of cleaning the garbage of their sister's antics. Inori, using a bucket filled with hot soapy water and a sponge, tried to scrub the kanji profanity off the other shrine buildings. Matsuri tried desperately to peel the large posters off the buildings but Patty knew what she was doing when she had them cemented instead of taped on. Matsuri had to resort to using an ice scraper to chip the posters off and with each little shard that came off, her anger grew.

"Oh man, I am _never_ going to forgive Tsukasa for this. This is some seriously fucked up repugnant shit." She snapped and was able to tear half of one of the images of Tsukasa's kiss off a shrine.

"Please don't use such language, Matsuri." Inori softly replied as she wiped the word "bitch" off one of the buildings. "This shrine has been desecrated enough as it is."

Matsuri huffed as she crumbled the poster in her hands and threw it into the growing pile. "Either way, Tsukasa's selfishness is never ceasing to amaze me. Does she even know or even care that _we _are the ones that have to clean up after her? Does she even care about how I feel that I have to scrape images of my own baby sister's depravity off a sacred building?"

"I'm sure she didn't even know those pictures were taken," Matsuri said as she began work on a new offensive kanji word. "I think there's a part of Tsukasa that still cares about us and wants to change her ways, but she's being sucked into this corrupt lifestyle and she feels trapped."

Shaking her head in disagreement, Matsuri believed her bigger sister was too naïve about such matters. Unlike Inori, Matsuri was more street smart and knew about the culture that Tsukasa was indulging herself in. It was dangerous and above all, it was consuming. It wasn't something people did part-time or as a hobby. It was an expression of never-ending pain and anger towards the world and their only principles were hate and anarchy. Once someone reached a level that Tsukasa was at, it was impossible for them to turn their life around again. When Matsuri saw Kagami when she came home with Konata and learned about what happened at The Black Window, it only reinforced her theory. Tsukasa Hiiragi was lost forever.

"You can think whatever you want, Inori, but you were there with me when Konata brought Kagami home. Kagami has always been a tough and resilient girl, but whatever happened at that place with Tsukasa made her snap. I've never seen her so upset before." Matsuri added and was finally able to clear one of the shrine's walls of another poster. Looking around, she sighed as she had about fifty more to go.

"I know Kagami's upset," Inori replied, keeping the conversion between the two sisters alive. "But we have to keep faith alive. We have to keep praying that Tsukasa will find the light again. Mom and dad need to see that we still support them and Tsukasa; they don't just want that from us, they _need_ that from us. I already think mom's faith is crumbling."

Matsuri narrowed her eyes and muttered something loud enough for Inori to hear, which triggered Inori's heart to race and eyes to explode. She dropped her sponge and quickly turned and shouted, "What did you just say?!"

The middle Hiiragi daughter glared, stood, and turned to Inori. "I said _there is no God_!"

"Why would you say such a thing?!" Inori snapped. "Have you ever heard of divine punishment?!"

"Grow up, Inori! You know the assholes that did this to our shrine are kicking back and laughing at us right now as we speak!" Matsuri spat. "You think the gods are going to part the clouds and punish them?! Not a chance! No divine spirit would ever let this happen to a family as devoted to them as us! Let me say it another way; the gods can go to hell!"

Inori's stomach did a back flip in her body and she felt sick. She wanted to cry, she wanted to scream, she wanted to run and pray, she even wanted to hit Matsuri. Despite the rollercoaster of things Inori wanted to do, she kept her father's nonviolent principles that got Kagami suspended in her mind, which kept her from losing it. Without saying another retort, Inori turned again and began to scrub the dirty kanji again, only with more force and clear frustration in her movements.

The rebellious middle Hiiragi daughter rolled her eyes and resumed scraping the hideous posters off the other shrines. Matsuri may have shared her Miko job with Inori, but ever since Tsukasa was raped, her doubt in a divine entity or entities was beginning to grow. The Hiiragi family was infamous for their spiritual devotion to the gods, but why would they allow such a tragedy to happen to not only them, but also to the purest and most innocent girl in the Hiiragi family? It was so unfair. The only question Matsuri had in her mind ever since it happened was "why?" Why them? Why Tsukasa? Matsuri also felt that because of the scale of the tragedy, Inori was slowly slipping away from reality and taking refuge in religion, which the middle Hiiragi daughter saw as dangerous. It was clear that religion wasn't going to keep their family together anymore, yet Inori couldn't see that while their parents _wouldn't_ see that. As for Kagami, what was going to befall her next? Tsukasa always acted as a pillar of strength for her and gave her a reason to be strong and protective, but now that pillar was gone. How badly was this going to affect Kagami's personality and her view of the world? Matsuri shook her head while she thought about these things and continued to scrape, knowing that as far as she could see, the Hiiragi family was trapped in a tunnel and there was no light at the end of it.

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Konata stood and waited for her train at the station to take her home. The winter air nipped at her exposed fingers as she cupped her hands and blew warm breath into them and began to rub the heat around her digits. Two young men around Konata's age approached and stood next to her, one of them holding their cell phone up and laughing at a picture.

"And you're telling me that this is on a billboard near Otome Road?" One of them asked as he looked at the image.

"Yep, I took the picture myself. I never knew there was a slut in Saitama." The young man holding the phone laughed.

"Did you call the number?"

"Yeah and they didn't like it. The woman who picked it up really cussed and said she was going to cut my dick off and mail it to my mother." He continued to laugh.

The two continued to laugh and with every snicker, Konata felt angrier and angrier. She wanted to lash out and say that was her friend they were demeaning, but it wasn't in her. It wasn't in Konata's nature to lash out or display anger, even when she wanted to. She just sighed and waited for her train to arrive and as it neared, a familiar high-toned voice sounded.

"Konata?" It asked.

The blue-haired otaku turned her head and spotted Patricia Martin. The blonde-haired foreign girl stood with a large smile on her face through her bandaged face with her bruises all but gone, which Konata instantly took refuge in her presence. Konata smiled slightly and approached her friend and coworker, trying to keep herself together. Konata had to act as a pillar of strength for Kagami after the disastrous meeting with Tsukasa, but now needed a pillar of her own. Seeing Kagami at her absolute worst took everything out of her and sought comfort in Patty as she hugged her coworker.

"Patty-chan…I need help." Konata whispered.

In the midst of Konata's depression, her face buried in her friend's abdomen, Patty slowly raised her hands and hugged the blue-haired girl and patted her on the back gently. Konata didn't see Patty form a sinister and satisfied grin when she said, "There, there, Konata. Everything will be okay for the Hiiragi's."

"Did Hiyori text you?" Konata whispered.

Patty nodded slowly. "She did. It's a shame what happened. Who would do such a thing to Tsukasa-san? Posting something like that in public."

"I don't know," Konata's voice became weak. "But what tore me up is what this has done to Kagami. She's devastated by this and I've _never_ seen her this upset or broken up over anything."

Unknown to Konata, Patty's satisfied smirk deepened. "Now, now, Konata. We all know how strong Kagami is and she'll get through this."

Feeling refreshed and a little bit stronger, Konata pulled away from Patty and looked up at her. "Yep, that's our Kagamin. She's tough."

Their train approached and the two girls entered it together and found their seats with ease on the slow day. When the train began its route again, Patty continued to converse with Konata. "I wasn't there but Hiyorin said it was bad. Does Tsukasa really look _that_ monstrous?"

Konata nodded. "You should know; she was wearing the same stuff when you had your quarrel with her. By the way, how are you feeling about that?"

Because Konata was only human, she didn't have the power to read minds. If she did, however, she would run away from Patty in a second. Through her misleading smile, Patty was thinking the worst about Tsukasa and the Hiiragi family as she recalled her vandalism scheme with a twinkle of pleasure in her eye. She was proud about what she did and held her head up high at the fact that she was the torpedo that was sinking the Hiiragi ship.

"I've got nothing against Tsukasa or her family." She said to Konata with a smile. "I was wrong when I provoked Tsukasa and I just hope that we can be friends again someday."

Konata formed a small smile. "You're a good person, Patty-chan. I'm glad you're my friend."

Patty secured Konata's confidence by hugging her again as the train continued to roll down the tracks. The foreign student leered out the window with Konata's face still obscured from her view and formed another conniving grin. Her thoughts were angry and resentful despite her cheerful exterior notions. _You're through, Tsukasa Hiiragi. I've won._

"And don't worry, Kona-chan." Patty added, still with her high-pitched optimism as their hug ended. "I'm _so confident_ that the police will find whoever did that to the Hiiragi shrine."

Konata's eyes suddenly shot up and she quickly turned back and stared at Patty. How did she know the shrine was vandalized? Konata only knew because she took Kagami home on her own. She also knew that Hiyori Tamura didn't know about the shrine's destruction either.

"How do you know about that?" Konata quickly asked.

It was at that exact moment that Patty knew she screwed up. Sweat began to form across her head and her breathing changed and she stuttered several times before she replied. "I, uh, I heard about it from another friend. She texted me."

It didn't make sense to Konata; it only made her ask more questions. "Really? How did she find out?"

The liquid across Patty's head began to slowly roll downward, catching Konata's attention and Patty quickly wiped it away. "Boy, are these train cars hot or what? Anyway, my friend…knows Kagami's older sisters…and that's how she found out."

Something still didn't add up as the train began to slow as it approached its first stop. In an investigative voice, Konata said, "Patty-chan…would you mind forwarding those messages to me? I would like to know more about Kagami's family shrine's destruction."

Fighting the urge to hyperventilate, the train suddenly stopped and the doors opened. Patty-chan saw the opportunity and quickly sprung to her feet and as she ran towards the open door, she called back, "Sorry, Kona-chan, this is my stop! I'll see you at work tomorrow!"

Patty disappeared in the sea of people and the doors shut again. Konata sounded a suspicious hum to herself as she replayed everything that had just happened. As the train moved again, Konata was more suspicious of Patty when she realized that this wasn't Patty's stop.

"I smell something," Konata whispered to herself as she squinted her eyes.

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Kagami suddenly awoke with a violent start in her bed and was breathing hard. The echoes of her sister's laughs accompanied by the taunts of her new friends at The Black Window continued to make her tremble with horror. Drenched in a cold sweat, Kagami tried to warm herself by crossing her arms across her chest and rubbed her freezing limbs.

Looking at the clock, it was only 3:00 pm and she pulled herself out of bed and limped to the bathroom. Filling the sink and following it up by throwing warm water on her face, Kagami looked up at the mirror and stared deep into her eyes. These swirling pools of picturesque indigo shades trembled and she suddenly saw herself as Tsukasa. They were pretty much the same person, right? They were twins after all. Fraternal, but still twins regardless. Maybe Tsukasa wasn't gone from the Hiiragi household after all. It was still possible for the Hiiragi's to keep moving on with their lives minus one family member, but it would take _extreme_ dedication on Kagami's part. She ran her hands through her long hair and concocted an idea to keep Tsukasa in her life, both internally and externally.

Miki returned to the house after bringing a tray of hot tea to her oldest daughters as they continued to clean the garbage off their shrines. She knew that Inori and Matsuri had a fight just by the atmosphere she felt when she brought their drinks but wanted to let them work it out themselves. They were sisters going through an atrocious time, just like everybody else and they needed the support of each other. If they couldn't count on each other, they couldn't count on anyone.

When Miki returned, she was greeted by the smell of food cooking. The Hiiragi housewife entered the kitchen and to her surprise, she saw Kagami standing over the stove and monitoring a pot full of boiling noodles. Kagami's trademark twin pigtails were gone and long her hair was tied behind her back in a ponytail as she smelled the noodles as Miki approached.

"Look, mommy, I'm making a late lunch for everyone." Kagami said but to Miki's surprise, she said it in a forced and unimpressive sweet-sounding voice. "I want to learn to be a better cook, just like you, mommy."

Miki didn't know what to make of this situation as she slowly approached Kagami. "Um…Kagami…are you feeling okay?"

Kagami turned to her mother again and to her repeated shock and this time concern, Kagami forced a large smile on her face that looked unnatural for the tsundere girl. "I'm feeling great, mommy. I've never felt better. I hope sis will enjoy the miso ramen I'm making."

Miki felt her heart palpated upon hearing the last sentence. Her breathing increasing, she kept her eyes locked on Kagami and began to feel for a chair near the dining table and finally found one. She slowly sank into her chair and sat down while keeping a passive face but on the inside, she wanted to cry. She knew where this was going.

"Kagami…you're scaring me." She calmly said.

Kagami turned again, still with her disturbing smile on her face. "Whatever do you mean, mommy?"

Miki gulped and breathed in a large portion of air and exhaled it slowly. "This is about Tsukasa, isn't it?"

Kagami's smile remained.

"Look, I don't know what happened at that store, but you don't have to do this." Miki said calmly. "You don't have to pretend you're someone you're not, Kagami. You're my Kagami Hiiragi and I want you to stay that way."

Kagami continued to stare at her mother until the oldest Hiiragi twin suddenly turned and walked to a pantry and collected several bowls. She brought them over and held one out to her mother. "Mommy…would you please try my ramen? We can make it better together. We can also try new dishes together."

Miki tried desperately to fight back her tears. She forced a smile on her face and reluctantly took the bowl from Kagami. "Thank you, dear. I'm sure it'll be delicious."

The lunch incident drove an awkward division between the Hiiragi family members for the rest of the day. Everyone was now officially worried about Kagami. They had no idea what that confrontation with Tsukasa looked like but apparently, it was ugly enough to cause Kagami's mood to swing so suddenly. The incident was also powerful enough to make Tadao put his argument with Miki regarding Tsukasa's hospital release on hold.

By 9:00 later that night, everyone was ready for bed. Inori kept herself occupied by reading a book in her room, Matsuri listened to her mp3 player while reading a magazine. Tadao rested his body in bed while watching a game show on the television while Miki also read a book. The silence between the married couple was chilling for them and they felt their marriage was on the verge of collapse. They acted and felt more like strangers a little bit every day since Tsukasa was raped.

"Did I lock up?" Tadao asked himself and began to pull himself out of bed.

"I'll check." Miki quickly stated, closed her book, and lifted herself out of bed. She quickly left the bedroom, as if she was waiting for an excuse to distance herself from her husband as Tadao sighed in frustration and rested again.

Miki checked the front door and saw it was locked and turned to walk back upstairs but something suddenly caught her eye. A light was on in the kitchen and she walked in to investigate. When she got there, she realized that despite the light, she was alone in the kitchen. _Strange…I could've sworn I turned off all the lights_, Miki thought to herself as she walked towards the light switch and as she reached for it, something else caught her eye.

A pottery jar sat on one of the counters in the kitchen that held all the cooking utensils and it was always neat. It held the spatulas, whisks, wooden spoons, brushes, and ladles and was never out of order. This time, however, the utensils were scattered all over the counter and Miki scratched her head, trying to figure out what transpired here. She spent a lot of her time in the kitchen for her family and was very familiar with not only all the utensils, but also all in her possession. As she packed them away again, she noticed her big pair of scissors was missing.

Suddenly, she heard a bang upstairs in the bathroom. A horrible thought suddenly exploded in Miki's mind when she heard it. Tadao recognized he was missing a razor blade from his shaving kit and it led to a devastating discovery in the bathtub. Now Miki's scissors were missing and Kagami was acting strange and alone in the bathroom. She didn't have time to scream for Tadao or the other Hiiragi daughters.

With a thunderous dash, Miki tore through the hallway and ran up the stairs and her heart pounded faster when she saw the door was closed with the light on inside. She grabbed the doorknob, expecting it to be locked. She nearly shattered the door when she learned the door was unlocked and she forced herself in and nearly lost balance. Miki caught herself before she fell and her head was facing the floor as she breathed hard.

Her breath suddenly froze when she saw the floor. It was purple. But it wasn't solid purple. Strands of a purple material was scattered all across the floor and it looked like a purple curtain was sent through a shredder. Miki's heart nearly exploded when she realized it was hair. She suddenly heard a snip and she looked up and it was as if she stepped into a horror movie when she saw what was going on. Kagami Hiiragi stood in front of the mirror and her long hair that was always divided into twin pigtails was no more. Her fingers gripped the missing scissors and she continued to snip away at her hair, which was now very short, resembling Tsukasa.

"K…Kagami…?" Miki squeaked.

Kagami stopped the cutting and turned to her mother, which only furthered Miki's dismay. Her eyes were like two waterfalls of tears and Kagami was trying desperately to fix her hair to look like Tsukasa's. Her disturbing smile was still glued on her face and she lowered her hands, one still gripping the scissors and she began to giggle the way Tsukasa used to.

"Look, mommy, I'm Tsukasa now!" Kagami shrieked. "Now we can be a family again!"

Miki screamed for her husband at the top of her lungs and he was on the scene in an instant, as were Inori and Matsuri, who also joined their mother in screaming when they saw Kagami's self-mutilation. Tadao pushed Miki aside and stepped forward as he tried to keep himself under control. Kagami still held the scissors in her hands and Tadao didn't know what was going through her mind so he wasn't taking any chances.

"Kagami, drop the scissors." Tadao ordered in a calm but stern voice.

"I'm not Kagami, daddy. It's me…Tsukasa." Kagami giggled again. "I'm Tsukasa…I'm Tsukasa…"

The scissors suddenly slipped from Kagami's grip and Tadao seized the chance and charged. He kicked them away and grabbed his daughter by the shoulders. "Kagami, stop this right now. You're not Tsukasa, your name is Kagami."

Still with a twitching smile, Kagami shook her head. "No, daddy. I'm Tsukasa. Remember the Miko outfit you got me for Christmas when I was six? I do."

"Snap out of it, Kagami!" Tadao yelled and shook his daughter.

"Daddy, that hurts!" Kagami shrieked. "Please don't hurt your little girl like that!"

Panic engulfed the Hiiragi family but Matsuri kept her cool. She rushed in and pushed her father aside, grabbed Kagami and said, "Here, try this."

With swift and fierce movements, Matsuri flattened her palm and slapped Kagami across the face, making the smack echo in the bathroom and silencing everyone. The movement was so bold and so harsh, it even felt as if the entire globe stopped spinning. Matsuri however knew what she was doing and held her little sister by the shoulders and waited.

Kagami stared into space with a glowing red mark forming on her cheek and she rapidly began to blink rapidly. Her eyes began to change again and they suddenly began to dart around the room. Kagami's eyes suddenly met with her older sister's and she said, "Matsuri?"

Kagami said her name in her usual voice and Matsuri breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "Are you feeling better, Kagami?"

"Better? What are you—" Kagami asked but when her eyes met the bathroom mirror, the indigo pools changed again. She saw herself in the mirror and her long hair was gone. Her hair was only finger-length at this point and she looked at the floor. The floor was littered with the countless hair strands and the white tile was now purple.

Kagami breathed hard and suddenly screamed at the sight and fell to her knees but Matsuri was there to catch her. Matsuri pulled her close and began to rub her head, more of her purple hair falling from her scalp. In Kagami's cries, she said, "I'm a monster! I'm a monster!"

Matsuri's anger and hate rose as she shook her head and the rest of the Hiiragi family moved in to hug Kagami. Matsuri inhaled and verbalized, "No, Kagami, you're no monster, and neither is Tsukasa. It's Ryosuke that's the only monster here."


	15. The Standoff

CHAPTER 15

THE STANDOFF

Breakfast the next morning for the Hiiragi family continued to be quiet and awkward, as per their new lifestyle whether Tsukasa was present or not. Inori and Matsuri sat next to each other and finished their toast and fruit bowls as Tadao read the newspaper while clutching a mug of coffee. Miki put the finishing touches on a bowl of oatmeal for Kagami and placed it on a tray and began to walk it upstairs to her room. Though what happened last night was one of the most horrifying spectacles to date, Miki took some comfort in the fact that her oldest twin didn't lose all of her sanity.

Matsuri's brutish slap brought Kagami back to them, but the oldest twin wished it didn't. Since the second bathroom incident, Kagami quarantined herself in her room and refused to come out. She kept calling herself "ugly" and didn't want to show what she had done to herself to the world. Miki and Tadao already agreed that it was best that she stayed home from school today so they could continue to talk her back to her senses.

Miki arrived at Kagami's door, placed the tray of food on the floor, and gently knocked. "Kagami, I have breakfast for you."

Silence was the only response.

The Hiiragi housewife sighed and slowly opened Kagami's door and saw her daughter sitting on her bed with her back facing her. Kagami was wearing a large hooded sweatshirt with the hood tied tightly over her head, hiding her follicle self-mutilation from the world. She hugged her legs to her chest as she sat still.

Miki entered with the tray of food and placed it on the floor while taking a seat on Kagami's bed. "Dear, you should eat something. I made oatmeal for you."

Kagami inhaled and quietly replied, "Thanks, mom."

It was good to hear Kagami's usual stern and serious voice again. Her forced cute voice trying to resemble the Tsukasa everybody once knew was nearly as terrifying as the new Tsukasa was.

"Are you feeling okay, sweetie?" Miki asked.

Kagami shook her head no. "I want to apologize to you, mom."

"Apologize? For what?" Miki asked.

Kagami slowly turned her body around and looked at her mother in the eyes. Kagami's indigo pools of life had returned and they were still lodged in her serious expressions with the hood wrapped around her face. She inhaled and said, "I'm _so_, _so_ sorry for last night. I couldn't even begin to imagine how terrified you and everybody else was when you saw me like that with those scissors. I'm so embarrassed."

Miki slowly nodded. "We were scared, Kagami, but you don't have to apologize. I just wish you wouldn't hide yourself life this. You're still a beautiful young woman."

Kagami quickly looked downward, grasped the drawstrings of her hoodie and pulled them tighter. "I'm not beautiful, mom. I'm hideous. You saw what I did to myself. It took me years to grow my hair like that and now it's all gone."

"Hair grows back, Kagami." Miki replied in a soft voice. "I still love you no matter what you look like, and so do your sisters and your father. So what do you say we go downstairs and join them?"

Hearing the offer only made Kagami clam up even more as she quickly turned away, laid on her bed, and retracted into a ball. "No way, I want to be homeschooled and enroll in an online university. It'll be the only place I'll be able to get in to after this picture incident with Tsukasa and my hair."

Miki rolled her eyes and sighed. "Don't talk that way, Kagami. You are a smart, witty, clever, and above all, strong girl. No matter what your sister does, it'll never change who you are and the talent you have. Now…you are going to get out of bed, join us for breakfast, and keep doing what you do best; working hard and making us all proud."

Kagami slowly turned her head and looked at her mother. "Do…do you really mean that, mom?"

Miki smiled for Kagami and nodded. "I would _never_ lie to you, Kagami. Now come on, let's get you outside and with your family again."

Still reluctant, Kagami slowly sat up and reached for her hood. She slowly pulled it off and revealed the damage she had done to her once long, beautiful hair. The side of her that lapsed in sanity the previous night had gotten its wish when it wanted to look like Tsukasa as Kagami's hair now barely covered half the back of her neck. It was still a shock for Miki to see such little hair on her oldest twin. The last time Kagami had this little amount of hair, she was in middle school.

"At least now you don't have to worry about getting those pigtails caught in the car door again." Miki spoke softly as she gently rubbed her hand through Kagami's short hair.

Kagami formed a small smile and when she released her own natural giggle, Miki felt that the Hiiragi family was able to find one sliver of hope in their god-awful pile of a mess. They were able to save Kagami from the darkness of insanity and bring her back, but it would ultimately hurt the former twin-tailed girl's self-esteem when she would eventually have to return to school. No doubt that she would be blasted with questions about her radical change in appearance. Kagami just hoped that Konata and Misao wouldn't go too overboard in their remarks about her hair.

When the two women arrived in the kitchen, it didn't take long for Tadao, Inori, and Matsuri to look at Kagami. Seeing their eyes locked on her scalp prompted Kagami to quickly blush and look away. It was at that moment that Inori and Matsuri looked at each other, smiled, and nodded once to each other and began to put their plan into action.

"Kagami, that hair actually looks good on you!" Inori exclaimed with enthusiasm, grabbing Kagami's attention and making the fragile girl look back at them.

"That's for sure!" Matsuri added. "If you let it grow a little more on the sides you and I would look alike!"

"Nu-uh!" Inori interrupted. "What she needs to do is let it spread out a little in the back and she and _I _ would look alike! Kagami, listen to me and I'll take you to the salon in town I always go to and we'll look identical!"

Continuing to shower love and support onto Kagami, Matsuri kept going along with their plan and added more. "Kagami, don't listen to her! She's just jealous that you have so much of my good looks in you! You stick with your big sister and I'll bring out your true beauty! You'll be the hottest girl to hit Saitama!"

Kagami formed a small smile and saw what her sisters were trying to do for her. They set this up to try and cheer her up about her hair and were trying to compete for her attention, and it was working. The ailing oldest Hiiragi twin giggled in her natural way and took a seat as Inori and Matsuri continued to vie for Kagami's attention and told her all the great things she could do with her new short hair.

Tadao smiled deeply at the lifting scene and glanced at his wife, who also had a smile on her face. When Miki looked at him, she playfully winked, indicating she too was in on Inori's and Matsuri's plan. Tadao slowly nodded with a smile and resumed reading his morning newspaper as the harmonious break from the drama continued to grace the Hiiragi family.

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Konata ate her lunch with Miyuki later that day. She knew Kagami was absent today and feared that yet crisis had found the Hiiragi household. Whether it had to do with Tsukasa or not was anybody's guess, but Konata had a sinking feeling that it had to do with Kagami. Ever since the New Years crime hit the Hiiragi family, it hit everyone and they couldn't even have a peaceful lunch together anymore without something else happening or to always have their minds trapped in the sympathies for the Hiiragi family.

"I hope that Kagami-san isn't sick or anything." Miyuki said as she closed her bento box. "That would be disappointing because of how much school she has already missed."

Konata sighed remorsefully. "I'm not worried about how much school Kagamin has missed. I'm worried about what that confrontation with Tsukasa the other day did to her."

Miyuki added her sigh and agreed. "Yesterday sounded so horribly tragic. I saw that horrendous billboard of Tsukasa-san in the city and I can only imagine what that's doing to her family. And to wake up and find that some…_person_…if you can even call them that, did such a thing to their shrine. Have people no morality anymore?"

"Hey, Miyuki?" Konata asked and the pink-haired girl focused her attention on her shorter friend. "You know how me and everyone else always come to you for advice or to explain homework for us?"

"Yes," Miyuki replied politely.

"Well…I really need your advice on a hypothetical scenario." Konata pushed out and added more. "What if I knew someone that I thought was a friend to me and after an altercation with another friend, she did something horrible for revenge."

Despite Miyuki's high intelligence, she was still naive and oblivious enough for the rising tensions between Patty and Konata to pass over her head. She collected her thoughts and answered, "Well, that does sound like a difficult situation. But if I was in your spot, Izumi-san, I would confront the person who committed the revenge. No matter what the first person did, revenge is _never_ a good response. It can cause permanent damage between friends and depending on how bad the revenge is, it could—"

It was at that moment that Miyuki realized she was talking by herself and Konata was no longer still sitting with her. All of the classroom's attention was on her and a bright-red blush plastered Miyuki's face and the class went into a roar of laughter.

Konata meanwhile arrived at her little cousin's classroom and saw her sitting with Minami Iwasaki and Hiyori Tamura. It surprised all three girls to see the blue-haired otaku approach them but Yutaka was happy to see her nonetheless.

"Oh hey onee-chan!" She happily exclaimed. "What are you doing over here?"

Konata took a seat with them and put on her usual cheery demeanor for her cousin's sake. "I just wanted to see how you were doing."

"Oh thank you, onee-chan!" She exclaimed happily. "You're so nice to me! I'm doing fine. Just talking with Minami-chan and Tamura-san."

Konata smiled for her. "That's nice, but I was wondering if you knew where Patty-chan was."

Hiyori knew the answer and said, "You just missed her she's in the bathroom."

Konata nodded. "I see…hey Hiyorin, could you meet me outside for a second? I have something I need to talk to you about."

Hiyori's eyes twitched as the memories from the other day were still fresh in her mind. "Is everything okay, sempai?"

Konata nodded. "It is…but this does pertain to a certain billboard on Otome Road."

Hearing this prompted Hiyori to glance at Minami and Yutaka and to their relief, they were still somehow clueless about what has been happening with Tsukasa. She nodded and stood to join Konata as they walked outside and when they were alone, Konata talked to her.

"Have you been noticing if Patty has been acting strange lately?" Konata quickly asked as she looked around as if she was trying to make sure the coast was still clear.

The question however caught Hiyori off guard as she thought this had to do with the billboard. Nevertheless, she replied, "Well, I uh, I didn't really notice her acting strange. What do you mean by strange?"

"Strange as in she might be defensive or hiding something." Konata quickly replied, still looking around.

Hyori shook her head. "No, nothing like that…but what does this have to do with…Tsukasa's problem?"

Konata was finally able to put her paranoia away and faced Hiyori again. "Tsukasa's family shrine was vandalized the other day. Someone spray painted graffiti all over the buildings and put posters of Tsukasa dancing and kissing that girl all over the place."

Hiyori's eyes nearly exploded in her head when she heard the news. She suddenly put it together and stuttered, "You…you…you…do…don't think…think that…that…Patty…"

"I think that we need to be careful," Konata quickly said. "I just wanted to bring you in on this because I trust you and you're the only other one that knows this much about how badly Tsukasa and Kagami are both suffering. I don't want to bring Miyuki into this and I don't think Kagami's other friends are the best to handle this. Like I said, you were there with me at The Black Window and saw what Tsukasa did and how Kagami took it."

This was a very tough spot for Hiyori but she still knew what needed to be done. She nodded and said, "Okay so what are you asking of me?"

Konata narrowed her eyes. "For now, just wait for my text. I work with Patty after school today and I'll talk to her. I'll find out exactly what she knows and doesn't know…or what she did do and didn't do."

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Feeling the heat from the spotlights burning on her face, Konata breathed hard and felt the sweat drip down her face as she stood frozen in her Haruhi pose pointing upward. The applause from the audience in the cosplay café roared as usual and Konata and Patty took their bows after completing yet another reenactment of the infamous dance and the two girls held each other's hands and smiled for the crowd. However, underneath their smiles, a storm was brewing between the two girls.

Konata still held her suspicions about Patty. The blue-haired otaku may have spent most of her time with her face either buried in manga or her eyes glued to the television, but she still knew suspicious behavior when she saw it. Something was telling her that Patty knew way too much about the Hiiragi shrine desecration, and it was Patty herself that let it slip. It wasn't until their shift was over later that day that Konata planned to do her own sleuthing.

When quitting time came, Konata and Patty undressed themselves in the locker room, their backs facing each other. The silence between them was tense and both girls were thinking the same thing. Which one was the bigger threat to the other? Konata hoped that she was wrong when she thought that Patty knew more about the shrine than she was letting on, but Konata had known Kagami much longer than Patty. She had to assume the worst until she had the real answer. Kagami meant a lot to Konata and she needed to be a good friend to her.

"You know, Patty-chan, it's kind of funny," Konata said, grabbing her work partner's attention as the kept their backs to each other. "How your one _friend_ knew about the Hiiragi shrine."

Patty once again felt the sweat form across her head and she quickly wiped it away when she knew Konata wasn't watching. She replied, "Well, yeah. Like I told you, she got the info from Kagami's sisters."

Konata slowly nodded as she pulled her school uniform skirt back up and secured it over her hips. "Yeah…because I have known Kagami for a long time, so I also know her family, and I also know that because of their father's rank in society, they would want to keep an incident like that as quiet as possible."

_Damn, did Konata figure me out? What should I do? Should I come clean? Or should I…?_

"I guess you do have a point, Konata." Patty calmly replied with her back still turned.

"No doubt that whoever did that to the shrine wanted to cause a scandal for the family," Konata continued to instigate with her back still facing Patty's back and the tension continued to rise in the room. "I may not know Inori or Matsuri very well, but I do know that when a scandal that size reaches a shrine, they will do whatever it takes to keep it quiet."

Patty's heart continued to pound in her chest. She slammed her locker door shut and turned to Konata for the first time. "What exactly are you trying to say, Konata?"

Konata still stood firm with her back facing Patty until she replied. "Nothing. Nothing at all, Patty. Why are you getting so defensive? We're just talking."

Patty glared at Konata. She hummed, grabbed her bag, and began to walk out of the locker room and said, "Good talk."

Konata turned for the first time to look at Patty walking away. "I do have just _one_ more thing I would like to say before you go."

Once again, Patty froze in her tracks and slowly turned to face her coworker. "Why…whatever is it, Konata?" Detectable resentment and frustration was in Patty's voice.

The blue-haired otaku closed her locker door and faced Patty in a standoff position. "I was just wondering why you've been keeping yourself away from all of us since the day Tsukasa beat you to a bloody pulp. Kagami was still around to talk to and so were Yu-chan, Minami-chan, and Hiyorin, yet you completely disappeared for awhile. Why is that?"

"N…no reason." Patty said as she tightened her grip on her bag and lowered her head, obstructing Konata's view of the foreign girl's blue eyes.

"Really…? Because I think there is a reason. Is it because you were too embarrassed to face anyone…? Or is it because _you_ are the one who did that to the Hiiragi shrine?" Konata finished in a strict tone while narrowing her glance at Patty.

Dead silence fell upon the cosplay café. It was as if the entire globe stopped spinning once again as the two girls continued to wage a war of the words and the mind. Seconds continued to tick and neither Konata nor Patty made a move. If someone took a pin and dropped it and even if it landed on shag carpet, it would still sound like a ten car pileup on a highway compared to the painful silence between the two girls.

Konata, with her eyes locked on Patty's face that continued to look downward, glanced to her right and saw the sinks with individual mirrors above them in the locker room. In one of those mirrors, Konata saw Patty's eyes and her heart began to skip beats when she saw them. Patty's eyes were still obstructed from view if Konata looked directly at her, but in the mirror, Konata saw the meanest, angriest, and most conniving glare she had ever seen on a human face. Not even Tsukasa's looks of hate could touch what Konata was seeing from Patty. It was the look of a cornered animal that was ready to bite now that it knew its survival was at stake.

_My god…she really wants to kill me. I can see it in her eyes._

As quickly as the silence came, it was shattered when Patty quickly turned away and to Konata's surprise, began to act emotional. She cried, "How could you accuse me of such a heinous act, Konata?! I thought you were my friend! I'm leaving right now before I say something I'll regret!"

Konata watched Patty dash out of the locker room and she was left alone. The blue-haired otaku slowly raised her hand and placed it over her chest and felt her heart continue to beat rapidly in her ribcage. This was more serious than Konata thought. She was not only able to conclude that Patty was the one who desecrated the Hiiragi shrine, she suspected that Patty was capable of something drastic if she was cornered. The proof of that was in her eyes.

Still, Konata couldn't let this crime go by the wayside. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. A text message from Hiyori Tamura was waiting for her and when she opened it, it stated:

"Did you find anything out about Patty?"

Konata narrowed her eyes at the phone and glanced back at the door where Patty tore through to get out of the locker room. Replying to the text message, Konata began to put a plan into action that would oust Patty as being the one responsible for what she did to the Hiiragi family shrine, as well as to Kagami and Tsukasa. Despite everything Tsukasa did to Konata, the short girl was still determined to save her from the darkness that she was already deeply entrenched in. Konata replied to Hiyori's message with:

"Patty is the one who spread those pics of Tsukasa. We need to stop her before she does worse. I have a plan…but I need your help. Are you still in?"

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Later that night, The Black Window closed early. Meeting in the back room of the store, Yuka Miyakawa along with Tsukasa Hiiragi and their friends from the raves continued to throw their lives away in the second long night of drug binges. Used joints littered the floor, along with empty pill bottles and empty plastic bags while clouds of smoke hovered above them. The room was dark with dozens of candles and black lights keeping the room slightly lit with death metal music playing at a lower volume so people could talk.

Tsukasa rested her head in Yuka's lap while the three boys that continued to get high with them were out of the store momentarily. They promised to be back with the hardest stuff to date, which Tsukasa planned on trying as she continued to rest on Yuka's lap as she picked at her fingernails with a small dagger. She punctured her skin several times but her senses were numbed to oblivion and she didn't feel it.

As Yuka paged through a dark manga, she said, "That was really cool what you did to your sister yesterday. I never saw someone make their own sister cry like that. You're a real hard bitch, Tsukasa Hiiragi."

Tsukasa's face remained placid as she punctured her fingernail with the knife and drew blood. Still, she didn't wince in pain. "I guess you could say that. But if I ever see Kagami or anyone else named Hiiragi again, nothing will be able to stop me from killing them all."

"Hardcore…killing your own family. I guess I should start calling you the ovarian barbarian or some shit like that." Yuka grinned. "You know one of these days I want you to read that diary of yours to me. You said you wrote dark poems in there, right?"

A thought suddenly struck in Tsukasa's mind. Her private and devastating diary was still at her home and to her hope, still in its hiding spot. She didn't know for sure though. For all she knew, they could've already discovered it and if that was the case, she already assumed her parents were splitting up or her sisters were committing suicide. Either way, she didn't care.

"Yeah, I wrote poems in that book. Mostly about death and dying." Tsukasa spat with callous anger. "And I wrote the full transcript of when those bastards fucked me in that shrine and how. Stuff I _never_ told the cops or my parents."

Feeling slightly aroused, Yuka began to run her fingers across Tsukasa's abdomen and tickled her navel. "Could you give me a little sample from that book?"

Tsukasa formed a small yet sinister grin and nodded. "One night I had a dream that I was torturing my older sister, Inori. I wrote that in the diary."

Yuka's dark grin deepened as she turned the page in her manga. "Do tell."

"She was strapped in a chair with her mouth held open and I had pulled out all of her teeth with a pair of pliers." Tsukasa chuckled as she watched the blood drip from her finger. "She was screaming in pain and I took a power drill and then—"

Before Tsukasa could finish her macabre dream, the boys returned with their promised drugs. It prompted Tsukasa and Yuka to quit what they were doing and they gathered around the drugs like kids around a bucket of chocolate. One of the boys pulled out a bag of white powder.

"What do you have?" Yuka asked.

"Smack." He replied groggily and added, "With a little bit of…_extra_ spice."

The dysfunctional group began to ready the supplies to continue their drug binge but tonight would be horrifically different. Tsukasa thought she knew what she was doing when she took the smack and began to divide it into lines on the table. She didn't see the others prepare bent spoons, cigarette lighters, and hypodermic needles.

When Tsukasa put her nose to a straw and inhaled the powder, she suddenly heard a voice shriek, "Tsukasa, no!"

The youngest Hiiragi twin suddenly looked up and saw Yuka staring at her with a horrified expression, as were her male junkie friends. A tense silence fell between them as no one knew what to do next or what to expect next.

"Tsukasa, you weren't supposed to inhale that stuff! That's too powerful to be inhaled!" Yuka exclaimed and Tsukasa became scared.

"What do I do?" Tsukasa asked.

Yuka quickly turned to one of her friends and repeated the question but before they could respond, they saw the sudden change in Tsukasa and they knew they had a problem on their hands. Yuka looked back and nearly screamed when she saw Tsukasa. Her skin color drained completely and her pupils began to dilate while blood flowed freely from her nose. The whites of her eyes suddenly began to turn yellow as the youngest Hiiragi twin began to sway back and forth.

"Yuka-chan…I don't feel so good." Tsukasa said in a disturbingly meek and childish voice and suddenly, her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she collapsed. When her body struck the floor, she began to twitch violently and spewed bubbly foam from her mouth. She had OD'd.

On sudden and panic-induced impulses, Yuka and her friends collected Tsukasa's lifeless body and threw her in the back of one the junkie's cars and they began to speed away. Screams and shouts continued to sound in the car on what they needed to do. Yuka was hell-bent on taking her to a hospital while the others simply wanted to drop Tsukasa in the first open dumpster they could find.

"Why weren't you watching this little bitch?!" One of them yelled as Tsukasa's cold head rested on the back floor, her mouth still dripping foam and her nostrils still leaking blood.

"Shut up, Takashi!" Yuka yelled as she put the pedal to the metal and sped through STOP signs and red lights on the late night. "We need to get her to a hospital or she'll die!"

"She's already dead, Yuka!" Another one of them yelled. "I don't think she's breathing anymore!"

Yuka continued to hyperventilate as she sped. She eyed the hospital's glowing Red Cross symbol and knew that hope was still alive to save Tsukasa. There was still a problem. Neither Yuka nor her friends could afford to talk to the doctors because they knew that the police would be called because it involved drugs. There were arrest warrants out with her name on them and she knew that if she stayed with Tsukasa, the only thing it would lead to was a lengthy prison sentence.

She finally halted the car outside the ER entrance of the hospital and saw nurses and doctors working inside. Yuka turned back and yelled, "Push her out!"

"You want to leave her like this?!" Another one of her friends cried, who was the only one with any trace of a moral compass.

"Damn it I said push her out!" Yuka commanded again and her friends heeded her demand this time.

One of them opened the car door and forced Tsukasa's limp body out and she landed with a crash on the cold cement of the road. As one last parting show of appreciation, Yuka honked the horn twice, catching everyone's attention inside and she quickly sped off. She looked in the rear-view mirror and saw two nurses rush out and swoop around Tsukasa's twitching body and refocused her attention on the road again and disappeared into the night.

Tsukasa was still conscious but everything was blurry. She saw two human figures kneel over her and their voices echoed in her mind as they called for assistance. The last thing Tsukasa saw was more people approaching her, including a doctor who appeared to be much older with white hair and a white mustache. She was certain he called her name as her vision faded and everything became white.


	16. The Second Strike

CHAPTER 16

THE SECOND STRIKE

_Whiteness. That's all Tsukasa Hiiragi could see as she looked forward. She was stuck in an infinite limbo of white. There was nothing around her except white. She couldn't hear anything either. It was as if she was hovering in the clouds as she looked around. All of a sudden, her head began to hurt. The ailing Hiiragi twin clutched her head in pain as it pulsed repeatedly and her vision suddenly began to clear._

_ Streaks of blue began to part the sea of white that blocked her vision and she suddenly saw a small, pink item fall in front of her. It was a cherry blossom petal. It was followed by another, and then another, and before Tsukasa knew it, thousands of the pink petals were falling all around her. The white continued to fade away and the day became clearer and clearer._

_ Voices suddenly erupted in her mind but she couldn't tell who they were or what they were saying. It was an avalanche of white noise as Tsukasa's vision returned. To her surprise, she was now standing in the middle of a crystal blue pond in the middle of a beautiful park on a summer day. Cherry blossom petals continued to fall around her as she watched them depart from the trees in the park._

_ She suddenly heard the sounds of children laughing. Turning her head, she saw two young girls running in the park. One had longer hair than the other divided into pigtails and they looked similar to each other. Tsukasa suddenly realized she was looking at herself and Kagami. Ignoring the fact that she was somehow walking on water, Tsukasa slowly stepped towards them and it brought back a memory. She remembered this day. It was her and Kagami's twelfth birthday and they were spending it in a park with their family. If her memory served her, she looked to her right and saw Miki and Tadao setting up a picnic lunch for the girls while Matsuri and Inori helped._

_ Tsukasa didn't know what to do as she watched the scene unfold in front of her. She wondered if she was simply asleep or if she was still tripping. If she was still tripping, this was a polar opposite hallucination of what she was used to when she was doing coke, pills, smack, pot, whatever. It was incredibly peaceful. She could feel the sunny day's warmth across her face and a cool breeze gently graced her by playing with her darkened hair. Birds chirped happily and continued to breathe life into the tranquil July 7__th__ day as the Hiiragi twins continued to play._

_ As Kagami ran and Tsukasa pursued her while the two exchanged laughs, Kagami approached a large tree and began to round it. However, she didn't hear or see the new girl approaching it on the other side, also running. When the budding twin-tailed girl rounded the tree, she collided with a girl her height and age with brown hair. It was a violent clash of the foreheads that knocked both girls on their buttocks' and they instantly began to rub their heads to ease the pain._

_ "Hey, watch where you're going, kid!" The new girl exclaimed in an obnoxious voice._

_ Kagami looked up and saw a girl standing above her with brown hair, golden eyes, and a small fang-like tooth at the front of her mouth. Kagami's anger flared and she quickly stood and retorted, "You watch where you're going, kid!"_

_ Tsukasa quickly approached and stood behind her older sister. The youngest Hiiragi daughter crouched below Kagami and held onto her shoulders as she watched the scene unfold with timid eyes. She knew her sister had the tendency to become a hot-head every now and then, but she didn't want a fight to unfold on their special day._

_ "Um, sis, we shouldn't be angry today. Mommy and daddy and our sisters worked hard to make our day extra special." She said timorously._

_ Seeing that her little sister was scared and had a point, she calmed herself for her family's sake and turned back to the new girl. She sighed and added, "Look, I'm sorry about being angry. I think it was an accident on both our sides. My name is Kagami and this is my sister, Tsukasa."_

_ The new girl's angry expression also melted away and was replaced with a more placid complexion. "Well…fine, I accept your apology and I'm sorry, too. My name is Misao. Misao Kusakabe."_

_ Before Kagami could reply, their mother approached them with her usual cheerful and kind attitude. "Oh my, who do we have here?" She asked with a smile._

_ "This is Misao." Kagami replied and the brown-haired girl stood tall with pride for Miki Hiiragi._

_ "Well it's a pleasure to meet you, Misao-chan." Miki said sweetly. "Today is Kagami's and Tsukasa's birthdays. We would be happy if you would join us for lunch and cake."_

_ The generous offer completely washed away all anger the erratic girl once had against Kagami and she happily took the Hiiragi family up on their offer. It didn't take long for Kagami and Misao to become fast friends and before they knew it, they were laughing and playing with each other in the birthday celebration._

_ The grown Tsukasa continued to watch it from her isolated spot on top of the pond and she sighed. She shook her head to try and snap her out of the memory but it was no good. She was still there but suddenly, the picturesque vision before her began to fade and everything became white again. As the image of her once perfect family began to turn to dust, Tsukasa saw something as the crystal pond she stood on also turned to white. She saw a very short and petite woman in a white dress that flapped in the wind and could barely see the green in her eyes and the blue of her very long hair._

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The whiteness engulfed Tsukasa's vision again and it suddenly became bright and as her pupils began to function again, she realized she was staring at several burning light bulbs hovering above her. Her hearing suddenly returned and the voices she had heard earlier became clearer and it didn't take her long to figure out that she was in a hospital. She could also hear the digital beeps of working medical equipment and her senses began to return.

Though she was awake and conscious, Tsukasa still felt like a piece of used toilet paper. It felt like her head was being squeezed in a vice, her sinuses were burning like napalm, she felt cold, she couldn't stop trembling, and her sweat felt like countless pinpricks against her pale flesh as it seeped through. Withdraw was an ugly process and Tsukasa was in the midst of it after nearly dying just outside the hospital doors.

Tsukasa's motor skills returned and breathing slowly, she slowly lifted her head off her pillow and looked around her hospital room. For the third time, she found herself stretched out on a hospital bed with tubes and instruments attached to her body. She suddenly saw movement to her left and quickly glanced over and saw a familiar face. Dr. Hirukawa stood above her writing notes onto a clipboard until he looked at her.

The two stared at each other for several seconds until Hirukawa broke the silence. "That's strike two, Tsukasa-san. One more and…what will you choose?"

Silence was Tsukasa's only retort as she rested her head back on her pillow. She slowly turned her head away and continued listening to the medical beeps. "What day or time is it?"

"It's 6:30 in the morning," he replied and placed his clipboard aside before pulling a chair to her bedside and took a seat next to her. "I was about to punch out for the night only a few hours ago until I heard a car beep its horn outside and you can imagine my surprise when a nurse called for a crash cart and a gurney. Next, you could've imagined my horror when I saw it was you thrown onto the concrete outside like you were a piece of garbage and being wheeled in."

Tsukasa rolled her eyes. "Irony. I feel like garbage right now. What the hell kind of shit did you dope me with?"

"It wasn't easy undoing the damage you did to yourself and it took a lot of medical drugs to stop it." Dr. Hirukawa said. "That stuff you inhaled _should_ have killed you, Tsukasa-san. I remember a similar case years ago where someone in your spot took only half of what you did and he fell over dead as a bedpan. You shouldn't even be on your second strike right now, Tsukasa-san."

"What was it I actually took?" She asked with fatigued curiosity.

"A combination of heroin, meth, and ecstasy." Dr. Hirukawa said. "You know you're not supposed to inhale that, right?"

Tsukasa glared. "So I've been told."

"Anyway, I decided to take on an extra shift when I saw it was you." He added and yawned. "And that doesn't sit well with the constitution of a man my age."

Hearing of her old pediatrician's compassion for her didn't faze Tsukasa one bit. She was at a point where she honestly didn't care about anyone, not even herself, anymore. When Dr. Hirukawa saw that his words were being met with deaf and ignorant ears, he sighed and stood to walk out of the room.

Before he opened the door, he paused and said, "I'll tell your family you're awake."

Tsukasa rolled her eyes and groaned. "Oh god, now I have to deal with all of those assholes."

Hirukawa opened the door and no sooner did it open halfway, Miki charged through it and tore into the room. Her eyes were once again throwing tears and she wasted no time hugging Tsukasa's head as Tadao, Matsuri, and Inori followed slowly and less emotionally. Kagami meanwhile waited outside as it was still too soon for her to face her sister. Miki kissed Tsukasa's head several times and continued to wail over her until the youngest Hiiragi twin forcibly freed herself from her mother's grasp.

"Drugs this time?! When will it end, Tsukasa?! When?!" Miki cried relentlessly. "Did you know our shrine was vandalized by these horrible pictures of you stripping at some club and kissing this other girl?! Do you even care about what you're doing to yourself?!"

Tsukasa remained still until she calmly replied, "It wasn't a club."

"Who gives a shit, Tsukasa?!" Matsuri exclaimed angrily, drawing everybody's attention to her. "Look at yourself and look what you've done to all of us! Do you know how badly you hurt Kagami yesterday because of your new lifestyle?! She was so upset and so distraught over you treating her like that that she came home and suffered nearly an entire mental breakdown! She even cut her hair so she could look like you and try and pretend to be you so we could all go back to the way it used to be!"

Despite Matsuri's loud and emotional outbreak, it didn't seem to inflict any emotion into Tsukasa. She continued to stare into space until she opened her mouth and replied, "I bet sis makes one ugly me."

Matsuri was ready to lunge forward and strangle her little sister, as was Inori. Tadao however blocked Matsuri's approach. "That's enough from all of you! I need to talk to your sister alone for awhile. Wait for me outside."

The three Hiiragi women heard Tadao's command and heeded it without fail. Miki quickly escorted her daughters out of the hospital room and closed the door, leaving Tadao and Tsukasa alone. The silence between them was fierce and chilling as the father couldn't take his eyes off his daughter. He searched desperately for any life in Tsukasa's eyes, but they still remained as cold as two burned out embers.

"How are you feeling, Tsukasa?" He asked as he still stood in front of her.

"I nearly died in a drug binge while laying down and doing incredibly dirty things to another girl. I'm on cloud nine." Tsukasa snapped.

It was clear to Tsukasa that Tadao wanted to join Matsuri in strangling her. Tadao remained calm however and pulled another chair to Tsukasa's bedside and slowly sat down. Their staring contest continued as Tadao folded his hands together and rested them under his chin. The ticking clock in the room and the beeping medical machines were the only forms of noise and entertainment in the room until Tadao spoke again.

"After all we've done for you, Tsukasa. After all I have done, your mother has done, and your sisters have done. After all the love, the kindness, the support, the affections, the material possessions we gave you, the roof over your head, the food in your stomach. Everything." Tadao said calmly yet sternly. "After all we've done for you, and after you became the victim of a crime that you _never_ deserved…you did all this to us. I don't even know what to say or to do anymore. You are no longer the daughter I raised from birth. You have done unspeakable things. The proof of that was put all over my shrine the other day. Who is that girl in the pictures?"

Tsukasa formed a sinister grin. "She's my toy. What can I say, _daddy_, I know how to make her squeal."

Instead of wanting to strangle her this time, Tadao simply wanted to cry. "Your family is hurting big time, Tsukasa, and not just because of what you are doing to us. We're in a lot of financial trouble. Ever since you were raped, no one has come to visit the shrine and all our donors have severed our ties…but there still is hope for us. The Prime Minister's granddaughter is getting married at our shrine in a few days."

"And why are you telling me all this?" Tsukasa asked, still with resentment in her voice. "Kagami told me that you banished men from home so why should I care?"

Tadao slowly nodded. "I saw the video."

Tsukasa's eyes twitched.

"The video of your rape. After the rapists hanged themselves, the police found a phone on them that had the full video on it. I saw it at the police station," Tadao paused to fight the urge to gag. "I now know what you went through, Tsukasa. I can't even begin to imagine how scared you were…or the unspeakable physical and mental pain you were in. What they did to you…it wasn't human. After I saw it, I came home and I cried while hugging our family photo album with your pictures in it. I began to question my faith and I kept praying nonstop until now. That was when I was given this opportunity to perform the wedding and your sisters are going to also participate in it. I wanted you to, too. But then I began to think; how can I let you after all these things you put us through? I saw the video of my youngest daughter's brutal rape, and yet I don't know if I should feel sympathy for her anymore. That hurts a father a lot when he's forced to ponder such questions."

"…And?" Tsukasa asked with a scowl on her face.

"And I'm not going to ask you this…because I need you to tell me this, Tsukasa." Tadao said and cleared his throat to deliver something no father should ever have to ask his daughter. "I want you to tell me what I should do because I don't know anymore. Should I love you or not and should I ask you to come home or not? Because I want you to be a part of our family, I really do. But I have to do what's best for your mother and your sisters and I could not afford the publicity of you being there the way you are now and with what you've done. So the ball is in your court now, Tsukasa. What should I do?"

More horrific silence fell between the father and his youngest daughter. It was hard to believe that it had to come to this. To the point where the father was at a complete loss of what to do and had no more ways of helping his daughter. This was the threshold and Tsukasa's absolute last chance to save herself from herself. If she were to take it, she could rehabilitate herself and rejoin the once harmonious and united family, but if she didn't, Tadao would be forced to wash his hands clean of his youngest daughter.

"It's a pretty pathetic thing, isn't it, dad?" Tsukasa finally broke the silence. "When a father has to force his own daughter to make a choice that will mean the difference between a life as a family or as a life of severed ties. How could something like this find its way to the Hiiragi's family shrine?"

Tadao slowly lowered his head and nodded. "I agree with you, Tsukasa. It is pathetic. But if it weren't for what you have done to us, we wouldn't be here."

"I'm not talking about me, dad." Tsukasa sneered. "I'm talking about _you_. You are the pathetic and worthless one."

Hearing his daughter's harsh words forced a stake into Tadao's heart as he lifted his head up again. This time, he released tears from his eyes and saw his daughter burning her last bridge. "Tsukasa…please…don't do it."

"I expect that you'll sign my release papers from this damn hospital and let me come home to collect the last of my things." Tsukasa coldly stated. "I no longer want anything to do with you or your family. Now if that's all, _Tadao_, I believe you have some papers to sign."

That was it. He didn't know what else to do. His estranged daughter had made up her mind and established that the caring, soothing, air-headed personality that was once Tsukasa Hiiragi was gone. Defeated and devastated, Tadao slowly lifted himself up, his knees cracking from the nerves that were rattled to the core. He stared at Tsukasa one last time because he knew as soon as he turned away, it would be the last time he would ever be able to look at her. Searching her eyes still, they still remained as lifeless as two burned out embers. They were cold and dark, just like coal.

As soon as Tadao broke eye contact with his former daughter, he let two endless waterfalls flow from his eyes as he walked out, where his family waited. Seeing the reaction on his face triggered a similar response on Miki's part, as well as Kagami's. Inori quickly hugged Kagami, who embraced her back while Matsuri kept her tough as nails persona by crossing her arms across her chest and shook her head. She frowned at Tsukasa's request, but at the same time wasn't surprised.

Sitting alone in her hospital room, Tsukasa breathed a sigh of relief that she was finally able to wash her hands of her family. The only thing on her mind at this point was going back and getting her diary. Contemplating what else she should take, Tsukasa suddenly remembered the dream about her twelfth birthday party. That last person she saw before she regained consciousness, the young-looking woman with the blue hair and green eyes.

_That person I saw…it couldn't have been. Was that really…Kona-chan?_

At Tsukasa's final request, Tadao released her from the hospital a few hours later after she was given as close to a clean bill of health as possible by the doctors. The drugs may have been out of her system, but the poison that was corrupting her mind continued to spread like the plague that it was. Tsukasa didn't even want to ride in the same car as them anymore and chose to walk home from the hospital to collect her things before she would leave.

Leave home forever…but where would she go? She had cut the ties with her family and made it clear that she also wanted nothing to do with her friends at high school. The only place she could go to was back to Yuka Miyakawa and her junkie friends. No one called Tsukasa out on this because they feared if they asked, that would be her response. It didn't even seem to bother her that Miyakawa and her friends just threw her out the car door and left her to die the previous night. Tsukasa didn't even see it that way, which only furthered everyone's confirmation that the youngest Hiiragi twin's sanity was completely gone.

When Tsukasa returned home, she entered a house full of ghosts. Miki was trying to make breakfast, Inori was helping in the kitchen, and the rest of the family members were functioning without her. It was as if they were total strangers at this point. Tsukasa didn't care anymore. She huffed to herself and walked up the stairs towards her old bedroom. When she slid the door open and walked into the darkness, she felt the cold of the lifeless and abandoned room that was once kept warm with her joyful attitude. Those days were over.

Tsukasa approached her bed and began to dig under the mattress until she found what she was looking for. She grasped the hardcover of her diary and slowly pulled it out. It was still intact and undiscovered as she held it in her hands and suddenly found more inspiration to write another passage. Taking a pen and putting it to the paper, she began to jot the latest development in her life. It wasn't everyday that an all-around good girl and Miko was banished from a family shrine and even at her own request.

"Why are you doing this?" The question vocalized itself from behind Tsukasa, nearly making her shriek and drop her diary. She instinctively slammed it shut and turned her head and saw Kagami standing in her doorway.

Something was different about her, though. Her infamous twin pigtails were gone and her hair was as short as Tsukasa's. Kagami's face also had a look of despair, similar to the one she showed Tsukasa at The Black Window. The two fraternal twins stood each other down, the youngest with dyed black hair and grotesque clothing, the other with matching shorter hair and shattered self-esteem.

"I was right," Tsukasa sneered with a frown. "You are absolutely pathetic, Kagami Hiiragi. Look at what you did to yourself and for what? To try and keep me in your life? And everyone says I'm the one that needs help? You better check yourself, bitch."

Kagami lowered her head and glanced back at Tsukasa reluctantly, as if she was afraid of her.

"Are you afraid, Kagami?" Tsukasa glared as she continued to hide the diary behind her back.

"I am afraid, Tsukasa. I'm afraid for and of my little sister." Kagami said in a trembling voice, fighting the urge to cry again. "I'm afraid of what's going to become of you…I'm afraid of what you're going to do…and eventually where you'll end up."

Tsukasa slowly sat down on her bed and when Kagami averted her eyes again, Tsukasa took the opportunity and slid her diary under her pillow. "You shouldn't worry, Kagami. Just wash your hands of me as easily as I did to you and everyone else."

Every word that crawled out of Tsukasa's mouth was like one more dagger to the heart, but what she was asking of Kagami was impossible for the oldest Hiiragi twin. "I can't do that, Tsukasa. I could never wash my hands of you. You know what the funny thing is? Despite all that you've done to us since the first meltdown you had at dinner, or all the fights and times you've been in the hospital, I still love you. You're my sister; what you and I share is a bond that could never be severed no matter how hard you try and you know why? Because I will _never_ let it be severed. I can only imagine you'll go back to those losers at The Black Window, so you can expect many, many, many visits from me every day."

Hearing this angered Tsukasa deeply. She wanted rid of her family, yet Kagami was determined to not let that happen. Tsukasa rose from her bed and walked to Kagami until the two twins' faces were only inches apart. It was a grueling staring contest while Kagami's eyes showed pain, Tsukasa's could only show death.

"You know I never want to see you again after this, Kagami." Tsukasa said coldly and quietly. "If I ever see you again, I _will_ kill you."

To her surprise, Kagami formed a small grin and slowly reached behind her own back. She grasped something and when it came into the light, Tsukasa was slightly startled to see Kagami holding a large kitchen knife. The youngest Hiiragi twin took a slight step back as Kagami quickly took Tsukasa's hand and forced her to grasp the knife. To Tsukasa's further astonishment, Kagami led the sharp side of the blade up to her own neck and held it there as Tsukasa continued to hold the handle.

"Do it then, Tsukasa." Kagami said, still with pained eyes. "Please kill me. I told you the other day that I could kill myself without you. But I think it would mean more coming from you, my fraternal twin sister, Tsukasa Hiiragi. To think…we went from playing together in the sandbox when we were kids, to you slicing my throat as the last family bonding experience."

The standoff pursued and the pose the Hiiragi twins were in was truly horrifying. Tsukasa held the knife up to her own sister's neck and if she violently moved it, it would open Kagami's neck. Taking this opportunity of silence, Kagami continued to stare into Tsukasa's eyes using her deepest analytical ability. She suddenly saw something that she didn't expect to in her eyes. Tsukasa was…afraid. She didn't want to do it. Kagami quickly glanced at the knife's handle and saw her sister's grip was beginning to loosen.

_My god…I can still save her_.

Completely oblivious to the potentially deadly standoff between Kagami and Tsukasa upstairs, Tadao and Miki sat at the breakfast table with Inori and ate while Matsuri showered in the bathroom. Never had they had such a quiet breakfast and they all knew why. They were officially out one family member today.

Hearing the phone ring was a welcomed break from the silence and Tadao quickly rose from his seat to answer it. He quickly answered it with the standard "Hiiragi residence."

"Good morning, Tadao-san. This is Kenji Urashima." The voice said.

It suddenly struck Tadao. Today was February 1st. Today was the day their personal accountant would call them and inform them that the charity money would be collected. The charity that the Hiiragi family was dedicated to, which involved helping homeless children in inner-city Tokyo. It was always an uplifting event that brought a smile to the faces of countless children, as well as the Hiiragi family. Kenji Urashima was their personal accountant and was specifically in charge of the special bank account that held the money for the children.

"Good morning, Kenji-san. Forgive me but I completely forgot about today but I'm still good to deliver the check for the public appearance. Same time, same place, correct?" Tadao asked.

"Actually, sir, that's not why I'm calling you." Kenji said on the other side. "I'm afraid I have some very bad news for you."

As his personal accountant delivered the most upsetting piece of information to Tadao, his heart pounded, he began to sweat, and his whole world was set ablaze.

The Hiiragi family civil war would begin at the end of his phone call.


	17. The War

CHAPTER 17

THE WAR

The two Hiiragi twins still stood in their deadly game of chicken. Tsukasa still pressed the large knife blade against Kagami's neck and the two continued to stare into each other's eyes. Tsukasa could see her older sister was hell-bent on her killing her; it was then that Tsukasa began to tremble. It was real. Too real. For the first time, Tsukasa could truly see the hurt in her sister's eyes. Was she responsible for all this? Was it her that drove Kagami to the brink of insanity and made her mutilate her once majestic long hair?

Tsukasa took a step back and her fingers wrapped around the knife's handle quivered until it slipped from her grasp. The knife landed on the floor away from them and Tsukasa took another step back. She felt open and vulnerable. Tsukasa had just shown her sister that underneath her hard-assed exterior, she was still a cold-footed baby.

Fighting the urge to tremble, Tsukasa cleared her throat and once again reared her dark side. "You're not even worth killing, Kagami. I can tell you're dead already."

"But you're not, Tsukasa." Kagami whimpered with hope in her voice. "I can see it in your eyes. You didn't want to kill me. I believe a part of you is crying for help but you don't want to because you're afraid that if you do, you'll be admitting defeat and that you're still the family's baby."

Tsukasa squinted at her older sister. She suddenly felt sweat begin to form across her head and she tried to quell her rising panic. Tsukasa felt surrounded and suffocated…just like the night she was raped. So many emotions flared in her mind. Kagami was truly keeping up her efforts to bring Tsukasa back into the light, but every time her sister got a little closer, Tsukasa panicked even more and began to reminisce about the last time someone forcibly plowed their way into her life.

Before either of the twins could make their next move, something erupted downstairs. The first shots exploded in the kitchen when they heard Tadao scream, "How could you do this to us?!"

Kagami's instinct to be there for her family kicked in and she abruptly abandoned Tsukasa in her room to investigate. Tsukasa meanwhile was only motivated by curiosity and slowly followed her estranged sister towards the kitchen where the clatter was coming from. She heard Miki's voice retort angrily to Tadao's as Tsukasa continued to walk and as she passed the bathroom, the door suddenly swung open and she nearly collided with Matsuri. Matsuri was fresh out of the bath and fully clothed, her hair still a little wet. When the two sisters met each other's eyes, they quickly looked away and kept their distance from each other as they entered the kitchen.

"What you did was a crime, Miki! And not just a crime against us, but a crime against innocent children!" Tadao screamed. "What are we going to do now?! What am I supposed to tell the charity now?!"

"I stand by what I did! I'm a mother and I put _my_ child's life over everything else!" Miki screamed back as the married couple continued to fight in the kitchen. "Why couldn't you do the same?! When Tsukasa was taken away, I was the only one that ever seemed to care!"

Kagami entered the kitchen and to her horror, she saw Inori sitting under the dining table and hugging herself into a ball while her mother and father were nearly face-to-face. Each one looked like they were about to get physical with the other as Kagami quickly scurried under the table and grasped Inori.

"What's happening?" Kagami whispered in a high-pitch tone.

Inori, who had a look of sheer panic, glanced at Kagami. "You remember when Tsukasa was arrested for fighting Matsuri?"

Kagami nodded.

"Mom stole the charity money to bail her out." Inori whispered back.

Hearing the news sent a new and massive wave of pain into Kagami's body. It felt as if a hand had reached into her ribs and ripped her heart out as she clutched her chest and she continued to breathe hard. She joined Inori under the table and hugged her oldest sister in an attempt to find comfort but her panic rose when she discovered that Inori had no more love or support to give. She was scared that on this day, Miki and Tadao would separate.

"You never knew what it was like to grow up not knowing what love was and to always feel fear and anger! The only time my father would show any affection to me at all was when he would beat me! My father _hated_ me! His own daughter! _He hated me!_ I stayed up late nearly every night crying and praying that I would die so the pain would stop and I could finally be free! My brother Itou never gave a damn about me! He always threatened to kill me if I didn't help him fuel his drug addiction! Even when I was a kid all I would ask from Santa was to know what love feels like!" Miki shouted, tears drenching the sides of her face. "I always swore that when I would become a mother, I would never do what my parents or brother did to me and I would always be there no matter what! Tsukasa is still my baby and after I called the police during the fight I felt that I betrayed her! That's why I stole the money, Tadao! Our children come first! Why can't you see that?!"

"How dare you say such things about me, Miki?!" Tadao yelled back as he stepped forward and inched closer to his wife. "You think I don't love my children and you think I feel nothing?! Tsukasa was my baby, too! But she has made it clear she doesn't want anything to do with us and you stealing from a charity isn't going to stop her! You stole food out of the mouths of other children in Tokyo so was it worth it?!"

"I got my child out of jail!" Miki screamed as Matsuri entered the kitchen. "You're damn right it was worth it! I couldn't live with myself knowing that I sent her to that place!"

"And you never once thought of Matsuri or your other daughters! What if Tsukasa pulled a weapon on any of them or even one of us?! You know what she did to that foreign girl in her classroom with that chair!" Tadao coughed as his mouth now felt like a sandbox. "Listen to yourself, Miki, you're obsessed! And your obsession didn't do anything for Tsukasa! It's made her worse! She's just like your damn brother now with a drug addiction and a violent side like your father! We could've saved her, too! If you didn't bail her out or release her from the hospital after she tried to kill herself in that tub we could've put her in Dr. Hirukawa's program! Now look what your lies and deceits have gotten this family! Look at it!"

Miki's anger grew. "I didn't want Tsukasa to feel the same way about me as I do about my own mother! My own mother abandoned me to stay with my worthless father! You think I would just leave my daughter in a prison cell or send her away to some nut hospital like she was a broken television being sent back to the factory! She's a human being and more importantly she's _my_ human being! I'm still her mother!"

"Well congratulations, Miki, because you got your wish! Tsukasa is your daughter, no scratch that, Tsukasa _is you!_ A basket case just like her mother!" Tadao thundered, triggering Miki's anger to vanish and it was replaced with a look of utter shock. "Because of you and all that you allowed Tsukasa to do, she's going to turn out just as screwed up in the head as her mother is!"

The rage in the Hiiragi housewife quickly returned and she rushed her husband and stopped when her chest made contact with his and their faces were only inches apart. The shouting match continued and it became a white noise tidal wave that shook the whole house until it became too personal. Mustering all her strength, Miki pushed Tadao back, taking him by surprise and he nearly lost his balance as he caught himself on the counter.

Her eyes leaking massive amounts of water and her teeth gritting as she panted with exhausted anger, she cried, "You'll never make me regret taking that money for my daughter! I still love her unlike you! No matter what she does to me or to anyone else, I will always be there for her! To hell with those children in that charity! None of them are my Tsukasa!"

Tadao could see it in her eyes. She didn't care, just like his youngest daughter. Miki had committed an immoral crime by stealing from the homeless and the starving to allow her troubled daughter to continue her dysfunctional and self-destructive patterns. Not knowing that Kagami had tried a similar tactic to measure Tsukasa, Tadao stared deep into his wife's eyes. The only thing he could see was anger and hate. Two things he never saw in his wife, not since he first met her in such a broken state. Miki was no longer the woman he married.

Feeling his innards twist and turn as he was forced to vocalize his decision, he opened his mouth and said it for everyone to hear, except for one of the Hiiragi daughters.

"I want a divorce."

The Hiiragi family had weathered some awfully quiet and silent moments in the recent trend of travesties that had befallen them, but this was by far the worst. February 1st. The day the once renowned Hiiragi family would split. What would become of them from now on? Inori and Kagami reemerged from under the table and slowly rose and showed their crying faces to their parents. Tadao tried not to look at them, knowing it would only gut him further.

Glancing back at Miki, her expression changed very little. Her face was still flushed and bright red while tears continued to slide down her cheeks and she trembled with uncanny fury. She opened her mouth and said, "Fine. I'll divorce you, Tadao Hiiragi."

"Mom, dad, don't do this!" Matsuri exclaimed.

"You be quiet!" Miki snapped and continued to breathe hard. "The last thing I need is more trouble!"

No one knew what to do next. The Hiiragi family had faced many challenges in their time, but none as great as this and it all started with the rape of their youngest and most innocent family member. It all went downhill from there. Matsuri scanned her broken family with piercing eyes and took in everyone's reactions. Miki was still rearing for a tougher fight, Tadao held his head low in shame that it had to come to this and Inori and Kagami held onto each other as they cried quietly in each other's arms.

_Where's Tsukasa?_

The youngest Hiiragi daughter still stood at the top of the stairs with her back against the wall and her arms folded across her chest. Her permanent scowl was still tattooed across her face as she continued to listen to her family's collapse until she felt something within her. She felt pain in her chest and as she clutched it, she realized it wasn't a physical pain. Her heart was hurting as she heard the cries of her sisters. Another new emotion began to present itself in her while she rethought the events of the past forty-eight hours. She felt deep guilt.

The phone suddenly rang, nearly making everyone in the household jump. As the family members downstairs continued to glance at each other, nobody knew if they should answer it or let it go to the answering machine. It was probably another pervert asking to rent "the slut of Saitama" and those phone calls were still not letting up.

Tadao sighed loudly and walked over to the phone and slowly picked it up knowing that all the eyes of the family were on him. He answered it again with the standard "Hiiragi residence" and believed that it couldn't possibly get any worse.

He was wrong.

The Hiiragi women could hear a voice on the other side but that wasn't what they were interested in. Tadao's face was solid. No emotion whatsoever and that could only mean that there was trouble. The phone call only lasted thirty seconds but it might as well have lasted thirty lifetimes. When Tadao said, "Thank you, sir. Goodbye," it made everyone jump as he slowly put the phone back on the receiver.

Tadao stood motionless over the phone and nobody knew what to expect. It was obvious something had happened and it wasn't good. What else could possibly happen? What was left for fate to take from the Hiiragi family?

Kagami could feel Inori gulp as she continued to hug her big sister and Inori slowly let go and took a step closer to her father. "D…dad…? Who…who was it?"

Silence. Dead silence. That was his only response as he continued to stand with his back to his family.

"Dad…didn't you hear her? Who was on the phone?" Matsuri asked with more firmness in her voice.

With his back still turned to his family, Tadao replied. "That was Yoshimizu-sensei."

"Your spiritual mentor in college?" Kagami added her voice.

Tadao nodded, still with his back to his family.

"What did he want?" Kagami added another question.

Still keeping his back turned, Tadao slowly gave his response. "Whoever vandalized the shrine with those pictures of Tsukasa also posted them on billboards all across Saitama. Yoshimizu-sensei called to tell me the Prime Minister's office also found out about them. They think it's best that they find another shrine for the wedding."

It somehow became quieter. The last chance for the Hiiragi family to save themselves from the depths of despair was now gone. The only thing Kagami could do was to resume her crying as Matsuri folded her arms across her chest and shook her head with a serious frown. Inori slowly approached her father. She slowly outstretched her hands and they trembled as they approached Tadao's lifeless standing body. Miki's anger began to subside upon hearing the latest and most devastating development for the family.

"Dad…it's okay. There'll be other weddings and ceremonies. We can't lose faith—" Inori started but was interrupted.

"Don't, Inori, just don't." Tadao suddenly snapped.

The sudden and harsh retort frightened the oldest Hiiragi daughter and drew more attention to Tadao. A few seconds turned into an agonizing minute, which was followed by second and once again, nobody knew what to do from here on out. The pictures of Tsukasa's performance had reached national level and the humiliation was now officially in all corners of Japan. The world became smaller for the Hiiragi family as they found themselves becoming more isolated and quarantined from the rest of the population. None of their friends called them anymore, no one visited them anymore. Even Matsuri and Inori noticed their own friends from college were becoming more distant.

"It was all a lie." Tadao finally broke the silence again. "Everything that is sacred, everything that is honored, everything in that shrine is a lie. My whole life has been one big lie."

Inori's heart pounded in her chest. Her father was losing faith at an alarming rate and it hurt Inori the most. Second to her father, Inori was the most religious member in the house and it hurt her when she heard this from Tadao. Hearing it from Matsuri was one thing, but to hear it from the spiritual leader was remarkably painful. Once again, she tried to comfort him and as she approached, the collapse of the Hiiragi family was finally set in stone.

Tadao grabbed the phone and with a quick thrust, he ripped it out of the wall and threw it across the room and yelled with all his might. He stomped through the dining room and kicked over chairs and overturned the table, creating a racket and sinking his family into panic. The outbursts resurrected memories of Tsukasa's and Matsuri's fight and they immediately tried to intervene. Inori rushed to stop her father but when she wrapped her arms around his chest, he pushed her violently, knocking her off balance and making her fall.

"This is the reward we were given by the gods! Tsukasa was raped and she was turned into this…this _thing!_ This thing that has caused us nothing but pain and grief! She drove Kagami to near insanity, she disgraced us with these pictures, she's nearly killed herself twice, she's been arrested, expelled, in fights, and all I've done for her is pray!" Tadao continued his rant that brought more tears to his daughters' eyes. "My whole life I've dedicated to the gods and this is how they repay me! I didn't deserve this! _We_ didn't deserve this! To hell with those rapist pigs! To hell with religion! To hell with that shrine!"

Tadao suddenly stormed into the backyard and to the tool shed where all the gardening supplies for his home and his shrine were kept. As his family watched with helpless eyes, their panic deepened when he reemerged from the shed with an axe and murderous eyes. He ran around the side of the house as his family pursued him through the hallway and they tore through the front door and into the public for the passing neighbors to see.

"Dad, what are you doing?!" Inori cried as she followed her father.

Tadao eyed the shrine as he gripped his axe and looked back at his oldest daughter with the eyes of a shattered human. The look scared Inori so much she thought she too had followed Kagami into a world of insanity.

"Something I should've done a long time ago!" Tadao yelled and continued his charge toward the shrine.

Despite her fear, Inori ran after her father as Kagami and Matsuri pursued, also calling for their father to stop. Miki also continued but at this point she didn't care. She had a feeling she knew what her probable ex-husband had in mind and she had to say that in her heart, she wholeheartedly approved. There was nothing sacred or good about that shrine anymore. Everything that was once peaceful and pure about it was destroyed the night their youngest daughter was raped. It would be best for the Hiiragi family if the whole structure would disappear.

Tadao finally arrived at the shrine and bypassed all of the sacred setups that were once vandalized by the pictures and graffiti and targeted the holiest building, the Honden. He tore through the sliding wood door and immediately went to work. Taking his axe, he chopped into one of the portraits of the Shinto gods before pulling it back and continued to slice through the structure's interior when his family finally arrived behind him.

"Dad, please stop!" Inori wailed in horror as she charged forward and tried to stop his massacre of the sacred building. She hugged him around his chest as she buried her face into his back and continued to cry.

The notion didn't stop Tadao. He wedged free of his daughter's grasp and continued to chop into the side of the building as Miki felt the need to add more. She glanced at the kerosene-fueled candles that would keep the shrine lit and saw a small box of matches sitting next to them. The candles were always meant for ceremonial purposes but all that was old history now as she quickly lit one of the candles that held a glass bottle encasing the kerosene beneath it. When it was lit, she picked the candle up and when Matsuri and Kagami saw what their mother had in mind, they too screamed for her not to do it.

It was too late. Miki hurled the candle with all her might further into the Honden and when it crashed, flames spread quickly and began to char the sacred shrine. Inori quickly abandoned her father as he continued to break the shrine down and she tried to extinguish the flames as they quickly spread to the tapestries. Kagami helped her oldest sister by dashing to a box kept in the corner of the shrine that held a fire extinguisher and she quickly readied it. Inori stood clear and Kagami blasted the flames and they quickly subsided in a wave of white mist that surrounded them and the situation worsened.

Tadao kicked over a table that held sacred artifacts that would've been used for the Prime Minister's granddaughter's wedding and began to stomp them to pieces while continuing to chop through the rest with his axe. With the flames out, Inori quickly returned to her father and again began her futile attempts to stop him from destroying the symbols of her most sacred beliefs.

"Daddy, please, I beg you!" She cried as she tried to physically stop him but her strength was no match for his as he continued to swing. "Think about the rest of us! Think about me! Please stop destroying our family shrine! You worked too hard to get this property! For the love of God, please stop! Please! _Please_!"

Watching the horrific scene made Kagami's eyes pulse in her head as she slumped to the floorboards and trembled with fright. Tears flowed from her eyes as she felt another mental breakdown coming and Matsuri quickly bent down to her. The middle daughter hugged Kagami tightly and rubbed her back as the noise of a melting family continued to plague her ears but Matsuri remained tough.

Matsuri turned to her mother and yelled, "Mom, do something goddamn it!"

"I am. I'm letting your father perform his duties." Miki snapped as she continued to watch with hateful eyes.

Hearing such a statement from her drove a spike through Matsuri's rock hard exterior. "You're our mother! You're supposed to love and protect us! Make dad stop doing this before he hurts somebody!"

Miki remained placid and watched her ex-husband destroy the Honden from the inside-out. Matsuri's heart sounded like a massive drum and she turned her head back to Inori, who had given up on stopping her father and was curled into a ball on the floor crying her prayers and her pain. She gripped her head as the tears shot out of her eyes and her screaming voice echoed in the building with the axe cuts. Matsuri looked back down at Kagami again, who continued to tremble in fear and the middle Hiiragi daughter could see the same look of insanity returning to the former twin-tailed girl's eyes. The same haunting feature in her eyes when she slipped into lunacy after she butchered her hair to resemble Tsukasa. Matsuri feared that at any second, she would lose Kagami again.

Movement suddenly caught Matsuri's eyes at the open doorway of the Honden and her blood boiled when she saw Tsukasa standing there. The cause of everything that was happening to the Hiiragi family and over the cries of her older sister and the chomps of her father's axe and his shouts, Matsuri felt something inside her snap. Her anger exploded like a bomb and she quickly rose to her feet and charged.

Tsukasa observed the anarchy in her family until she felt Matsuri tackle her and the two sisters rolled themselves down the wooden steps and into the cold weather and began to fight again. Matsuri pulled Tsukasa close as the two struggled relentlessly until Matsuri's angry strength proved dominant and she held Tsukasa down as she rolled on top of her little sister and added her emotions to the mix.

"You did this, Tsukasa! You killed us! We're a broken family now because of you! Now what are we supposed to do?! Mom and dad are splitting up because of you!" Matsuri cried loudly as she swung her fist down and punched Tsukasa on her cheek, triggering a complete reversal in Tsukasa's personality that was beginning to show hope.

Tsukasa's brightening eyes darkened again and her violent side reared its ugly head once again as she fought back. Tsukasa grabbed a handful of small loose stones that surrounded the Honden and threw them into Matsuri's face, distracting her. The youngest Hiiragi twin took advantage of the confusion and punched Matsuri in the mouth and it allowed her to push her off and gain the upper hand. Tsukasa rolled on top of Matsuri and with the look of a cornered animal on her face, Tsukasa fought back.

"You think I give a damn, Matsuri?!" Tsukasa yelled and landed another punch onto Matsuri's mouth, opening her lip and drawing blood. "I was the one that was fucked on this sacred ground! What are you bitching about?! This family was broken after I was raped! The only person who saw it was me!"

Tsukasa landed another slap across her sister's face until she felt someone else tackle her. When the two sisters fell into the loose stones, Tsukasa looked up and readied for another fight when she saw it was Kagami who tackled her and was now on top of her. It happened in the blink of an eye. Tsukasa's and Kagami's eyes met again just like in the bedroom only this time, it was different. Kagami could only see her sister's eyes for a brief second until Tsukasa launched a violent punch to the side of Kagami's head. The force knocked Kagami off Tsukasa and Kagami released her mental breakdown when she saw the mild amount of humanity in Tsukasa's eyes only a few minutes ago was gone.

Tsukasa planted herself on top of her fraternal twin and suddenly wrapped her hands around Kagami's neck and squeezed with all her might. Kagami didn't even know that the sister she once loved and played with was trying to kill her. Her mental stability was shattered like glass as she cried and thrashed on the ground and uttered a slurred language that wasn't clear. It only showed how far gone Kagami's mind was at this point. Her body was so entrenched in stress that she was having a seizure.

Tsukasa tightened her grip around Kagami's neck and her constricting fingers began to break blood vessels inside her older sister and form bruises. A sharp pain suddenly ripped through Tsukasa's body when Matsuri grabbed her by the hair and pulled her back with all her might. Tsukasa released Kagami from her grip and was forced to stand up, only to take another punch to the nose from Matsuri, only deepening the civil war.

The distraught youngest Hiiragi daughter wiped the blood from her nostrils and charged Matsuri again with unquenchable fury and tackled her to the ground yet again. As round two of their fight persisted, Miki charged out of the Honden and witnessed the horrific scene before her. Tsukasa and Matsuri once again found themselves on their feet and Matsuri pushed Tsukasa into one of the red wooden Toro lamps, breaking it and making the two sisters collapse on top of each other again as their blood continued to spill.

Miki disregarded the seizing Kagami and rushed to Matsuri and Tsukasa who continued to wail on each other. Tsukasa had the momentary upper hand as she held Matsuri's fists with her hands and the middle Hiiragi daughter tried to squirm and wiggle her way out from under Tsukasa's body weight. Miki wrapped her hands around Tsukasa's waist and tried to pull her off but it was a mistake she soon regretted. Tsukasa shot off Matsuri's body in a split second and suddenly turned and faced her mother, knowing who it was that tried to intervene.

Time suddenly froze for Miki and Tsukasa. As Tsukasa formed a fist and began to swing it around, Miki looked at her angry daughter and saw everything. She saw her birth once again replay in her mind, her first day of school, all the times they spent in the kitchen together, the laughs they shared, the bonding moments that cemented them together, and the love that she felt for her youngest daughter. All those moments disappeared when Tsukasa's fist swung and made unforgiving contact with her own mother's cheek.

The brutal punch knocked Miki off balance and she fell to the cobblestones and was in shock. Before Tsukasa could attack her own mother further, Matsuri tackled Tsukasa again and threw her and herself into the cobblestones as Matsuri held a firm grip on Tsukasa's hair while trying to subdue her thrashing sister.

Miki was stunned at what just happened. Her youngest daughter attacked her and she held her palm to the burning and pulsating spot on her cheek. Sitting on her knees in the middle of the family's civil war, Miki looked around. She saw Matsuri still held a tight grip on Tsukasa's hair but Tsukasa also was able to latch onto Matsuri's scalp as well and they were in the midst of a painful tug-of-war. Miki slowly looked back at the Honden and heard her husband continue to destroy the inside of it as Inori continued to scream and cry. Turning her head again, she saw Kagami in the midst of a panic seizure as she thrashed and cried on the ground.

Broken and distraught, Miki slowly crawled over to Kagami and collected her second twin daughter as she continued to thrash. She cuddled the crying Kagami's head in her lap and began to gently rock back and forth as the fighting went on. Miki couldn't pretend anymore. Tsukasa hated her, as well as everyone else. All her love and support as a mother couldn't reach Tsukasa, even when she broke every moral code in the human handbook by stealing from the homeless in a futile attempt to save her. Now, her marriage was over because of it.

Kagami slowly began to slow her seizure of panic and to Miki's horror, Kagami opened her mouth and whispered, "I'm Tsukasa…I'm Tsukasa…"

Feeling tears fall from her eyes, Miki joined Kagami in a mental breakdown and cried out loud. "Help us! Please help us! Somebody…! Anybody…! Help…!"

As Miki announced her distress call to the world, the chopping in the shrine abruptly halted and Tadao stormed out of the Honden. He was drenched in sweat and no longer gripped his axe and when he spotted the fight between Matsuri and Tsukasa, he charged towards them. He blew past his crying wife and seizing daughter and grabbed Matsuri with all his might. He lifted his middle daughter off Tsukasa and callously threw her aside, allowing Tsukasa to finally jump up and she was still ready for a fight.

Tsukasa turned and before she could continue fighting, her father's hand flew through the air and smacked her across the face. It silenced everything. Just like that, the civil war that sank the Hiiragi family to the bottom was over. The all-too-familiar silence returned to the family as Tadao grabbed Tsukasa by the collar of her dark top and dragged her violently to the Torii gate. With one final show of affection, Tadao pushed Tsukasa with all his might past the red scared gate and she fell on her side.

Turning her face back up to her father with a malicious glare, she was met with the same face from Tadao. Her father was breathing hard, sweating profusely, and his eyes were narrowed in anger. Trying to catch his breath, he yelled, "I want you off this property now! I never want to see you here again! If I ever see you here again, I will call the police and have you sent away!"

Tsukasa sprung to her feet and stared her father down one last time. Their ties were severed, their history erased, and all feelings of love and sympathy for each other was turned to dust. The rogue Hiiragi twin fixed her collar Tadao ruffled in the process with a huff, slowly turned, and began to walk down the street, her face still bruised and bleeding. Tadao watched her become smaller and smaller in the distance until she disappeared completely over the hill. She didn't look back once.

The civil war was over for the Hiiragi family. Blood had been spilled. Property had been destroyed. Lives had been shattered. A family was splitting up. It truly hit home for the Hiiragi family that they were alone in the world when no one called the police or fire department to help them. Clearly the stigma of the Hiiragi family had entrenched itself so deep that the neighbors didn't want to be involved with them in _any_ way, shape, or form, even if it meant helping them. They didn't want to associate themselves with the family of "the slut of Saitama" or the rest of them.

Tadao was a broken man when he packed a few bags full of his clothes and toiletries. He took one of the family's credit cards with the intent of calling a motel room his new home until he and Miki could meet a lawyer. Because he was still the man he was, he thought it was appropriate that he left so that Miki and the rest of the girls could live comfortably, or as close to it as they could now.

Inori isolated herself in the Honden for the rest of the day and could only pray nonstop. For her father, for her family, for herself, for everything she had ever cherished or loved. Every prayer was complemented with a fresh tear from her eyes as she sat in the destroyed building. Matsuri meanwhile left the house to go out with the few remaining friends she had left. She had fresh bruises and scrapes across her face to showoff and to symbolize the depth of her family's dysfunction.

Miki sat on Kagami's bed. The former twin-tailed girl rested her head on her mother's lap, still dripping tears from her eyes. Silence was dividing Miki and Kagami as Miki stroked her ailing daughter's head, trying to snap her back to reality.

"Are you okay, now, baby?" Miki asked with a choke in her voice as she stared into space and stroked Kagami's short hair. "Do you know who you are again?"

Kagami sniffled. "Today was like a horror movie, mommy. I don't like horror movies…I don't like horror movies…please make the scary go away mommy…"

Miki's face puckered again as she kissed Kagami on the head and said, "You should rest, Kagami."

Drained of her energy, Kagami fell asleep nearly in an instant as Miki tucked her ailing daughter into bed. She left Kagami's room and suddenly felt cold and sought comfort in Tsukasa's former bedroom. The distraught Hiiragi housewife, now considered single, wobbled into Tsukasa's dark room and over to her bed. She sat down and released her tears and slumped over and allowed her head to land on Tsukasa's pillow. Miki buried her face in the pillow and inhaled as much as she could through her nose to smell her daughter again. It only brought more tears.

Miki slowly slid her arm under the pillow and nearly jumped in fright when her arm suddenly struck something. She grasped the thin item and pulled it out from under the pillow and when she looked at it, she was able to identify it as a notebook. It was a rather simple notebook that had no distinct markings or doodles on it of any kind; it was just a simple composition book. Miki slowly opened the cover and saw the first entry.

It was lengthy. Very lengthy. There was no date or time marked anywhere on the top of the page, just the entry itself. Perked by curiosity, she began to read it. It didn't take long for Miki to figure out that she was holding Tsukasa's private diary. The one she had been keeping and updating to document her slow and gruesome transcend into the darkness that now corrupted her soul.

It also didn't take long for Miki to figure out what she was reading. She didn't make it past the second paragraph until she realized she was reading the transcript of her daughter's rape. She began to sweat. Her grip trembled and fear swallowed her mind as she couldn't stop reading. Miki would now feel the same thing Tadao did when he saw the video at the police station.

Miki didn't make it past the third paragraph until the book finally slipped from her grasp and it landed on the floor with a bounce and remained open. She could only vocalize one word from her mouth on her pale-white face. _NO_. She screamed it at the top of her lungs and her stomach tightened. Forcing her hand to cover her mouth, she leaped from the bed and tore through the hallway and stormed into the bathroom.

She vomited relentlessly into the toilet after reading not only a quarter of what those monsters did to Tsukasa that night in the Kagura-den. When she was finished releasing the spew of shattered emotions, she slumped onto the tile floor and continued to scream and cry. "_My baby! My baby! My baby! That's my baby! You monsters!_"

The diary still sat in Tsukasa's bedroom and open to the first entry, revealing its contents to the world. It was truly an open gate into Hell itself.

**A/N: CAN ANYONE GUESS WHAT THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL FOCUS ON? I'LL GIVE YOU A HINT: IT HAS TO DO WITH A BOOK**


	18. The Diary

CHAPTER 18

THE DIARY

*DECIDED TO MAKE THE DIARY A SEPARATE M-RATED STORY. IT'S ALREADY COMPLETE AND IN MY STORIES AND YOU'LL SEE WHY IT'S SEPARATE WHEN YOU READ IT

JUST AS A FAIR WARNING I ADVISE PEOPLE TO SKIP THE FIRST ENTRY

EITHER WAY, ENJOY


	19. The Scheme

CHAPTER 19

THE SCHEME

Konata stared at her cell phone blankly. Her look of concern was growing with each passing text message and missed phone call. Trying desperately to reach Kagami on her cell phone, Konata had no choice in her mind but to try again as she dialed her friend's number and listened. She heard the dial tone repeat itself six times until it went to voicemail yet again.

"She hasn't been responding to me…and she's missed two days of school." Konata said to herself as she lowered her phone again. "Something's happened again."

Sitting in a train car speeding towards the Hiiragi home, the blue-haired girl was taking matters into her own hands. She knew that Patricia Martin was responsible for the shrine desecration but couldn't prove it…yet. She had a plan set in motion and her ally Hiyori Tamura was in place and waiting to fulfill her end of the bargain, a debt she still felt she owed to Kagami, especially after she saw what Tsukasa had become at The Black Window. This was Konata's own trip to see her friend, though she was going to be in for quite a shock as she still didn't know about Kagami's meltdown that resulted in her butchering her hair and Tsukasa's drug overdose that led to the Hiiragi civil war.

She eventually arrived at their home and rang the buzzer, triggering Miki's weak and frail voice to respond and when she heard it was Konata, Miki was reluctant at first. Though she had to consider the long ride Konata had to take to get to her home so she was more or less morally obligated to let Konata in.

As soon as Konata entered their home, she felt a sudden and drastic change in the once vibrant household's persona. It wasn't as lively and peaceful as it once was and Konata felt as if she stepped into a haunted house as a chill ran down her spine and it was quiet in the Hiiragi home. Regrettably, it wasn't a peaceful and harmonious quiet. It was the quiet after a large storm that left carnage in its wake.

Konata knew she was going to be in more than she bargained for and wanted to ask a series of questions but knew she had to let Miki open up first. Konata had been to the Hiiragi residence before and noticed a few changes. She noticed a large and brutal hole in the wall that once held the telephone's cord. Another thing she noticed as she sat down at the dining room table as Miki fixed tea was another large gash in the wall made by the table when Tadao flipped it the previous day.

Miki brought two mugs of steaming tea to the table and sat one down in front of Konata as she too joined her. Konata began to analyze Miki herself. It was her eyes that gave it away. Something did happen and the blue-haired girl's otaku expertise kicked in when she saw the distraught Hiiragi's housewife's eyes.

_Those eyes…is Miki-sama…yandere?_

"Um…I wanted to come and make sure Kagami was okay," Konata said nervously as she sipped her tea. "She's missed school and she hasn't been replying to my texts or voicemails. I just wanted to make sure that everything's okay."

Miki's eyes remained lifeless as she sipped the hot liquid. "My husband and I have separated."

Konata, who was in the midst of another sip, nearly spat the tea out after hearing the shocking and devastating news. Never in her wildest nightmare would she think the Hiiragi family would split. This put the blue-haired girl in an awkward spot since Miki needed someone to open up to and to think this started with Konata simply wanting to see if Kagami was okay and nothing more.

"Something happened, didn't it?" Konata said softly.

Miki slowly nodded. "After you brought her home the other day, Kagami had a mental breakdown and tried to become Tsukasa. She tried cooking and later she cut all her hair to make herself look like Tsukasa."

Hearing the self-mutilation story made Konata gulp. She had always teased Kagami about her hair and how without her pigtails it wouldn't look natural, but she never thought she would actually cut it all off. Konata couldn't help but feel a little guilty after all the times she teased her but she was still smart enough to know that she wasn't the reason why Kagami took such drastic measures.

"Where is she?" Konata asked seriously.

"Upstairs in her room. She hasn't left since yesterday and I'm worried. She hasn't eaten anything for more than a day." Miki whispered in a defeated voice, a sound all too familiar in the Hiiragi household.

Konata slowly rose and replied, "I'll go and talk to her."

Miki didn't say anything as the blue-haired girl began to walk up the stairs to Kagami's room. What else was there to say? The passages of Tsukasa's diary continued to haunt her mind and it was clear to her now. Miki was in a way responsible for everything that had happened to the family since the night of Tsukasa's rape. Her mother's instincts not only kicked in, they went into overdrive and the more she squeezed Tsukasa, the more she slipped through her fingers. Miki's obsessive behavior and refusal to listen to her daughter resulted in Tsukasa breaking away from the family with sheer force. When Tadao told her that if she ever found out the full details of Tsukasa's rape, she too would want to go on suicide watch.

He was right.

Konata arrived at Kagami's door and gently knocked. "K…Kagami? It's me, Konata. Can I come in?"

"…Yes." Konata was able to hear a faint voice whisper in response.

She slowly turned the doorknob and opened Kagami's door and saw her. She was sitting in the furthest corner of her room away from the door and facing the wall with her legs held tightly to her chest as she sat. She was wearing long pants and a hooded sweatshirt with the hood still secured around her head. Kagami was like a statue sitting in the corner.

Konata slowly entered and approached her friend. Standing behind her, she said, "Will you turn and look at me, please?"

Kagami pulled the drawstrings of her hoodie tighter. "Only if you promise not to make fun of me."

"I promise."

Slowly standing and visibly trembling, Kagami slowly turned and looked at her shorter friend. The red and puffiness in her eyes showed she had been crying recently and she slowly lowered her hood, allowing her hair to fall the short distance from the top of her head to the back of her neck. Konata held firm and kept a poker face for her friend and suddenly smiled, surprising Kagami.

"You look like your biggest sister, Inori." Konata said with her smile. "You two have the same eyes. I never really noticed it before until you cut your hair. Inori is tall and beautiful, you know."

Kagami quickly looked away in embarrassment. "Dad always told me the same thing when I was younger. I remember when I was little and my hair was still growing and when it was the same style as Inori's that was when we were the closest. Tsukasa was always attached to mom up until middle school and I was always lonely, and that's when Inori was my best friend."

Nodding slowly, Konata took a seat on Kagami's bed and the former twin-tailed girl soon joined her. "What are you doing here, Konata?" Kagami asked as she kept looking at the floor, still trying to adjust to her new hairstyle being in the public.

"You haven't been replying to any of my text messages or voicemails. You know it's pretty bad when _I'm _the one that has to chase _you_ down to reply to a simple text message." Konata replied slyly, earning a grin from Kagami. "Next thing we know, it'll be you copying my homework. And that's when we'll also have to deal with the four horsemen, the reign of fire, and the end of days."

Her tactic had worked and Kagami released a playful giggle. It was too short for Konata however when Kagami ceased her happy response and became serious again. "Thank you for coming to see me, Konata, and I'm sorry about that. I keep getting hurtful messages from people at school or the streets about Tsukasa's billboard."

Konata felt rage, a rarity for her, but these were her friends that were being harassed like this and it ruffled the feathers of the usually placid female otaku. Nevertheless, Konata wanted to keep quiet about Patty's suspected involvement for Konata knew if she let it slip, Kagami would end up killing the foreign girl. She wasn't here for that anyway, at least not yet. She just wanted to be with Kagami for the both of them and Konata still hoped that there was still a chance she was wrong about Patty.

"I can understand why you wouldn't want to talk to anybody; I was just worried about you." Konata replied and scooted closer to Kagami. "We want you back at school. Misakichi won't leave Miyuki and I alone and she's more clingy than a leech."

Kagami huffed. "That sounds like Misao. But I don't think I'm going back to school this year. I might end up repeating our last year."

Konata quickly turned her head to the short-haired tsundere. "But, Kagamin…what about law school?"

The blue-haired girl saw the question hurt Kagami and she could see it in her eyes. Kagami slowly shook her head and more tears began to fill her eyes. "I'm gonna have to forget about all that, Konata. My parents are getting a divorce, my sister is banished from the family, and I haven't been feeling myself since The Black Window incident. I'll probably have to take on a full-time job for my family or maybe drop out of school completely."

"It can't be that bad." Konata stated.

Silence swallowed them for several second until Kagami slowly looked up and stared into space. "I remember my first day of school. I had been looking forward to it for so long and I was literally pulling my dad all the way to the school. Tsukasa on the other hand was latched onto mom and we practically needed the jaws-of-life to pry her off. That was so long ago…and now look where we are. We're defeated, Konata. It's over. I've lost the will to go on or work hard."

"But Kagami—"

"Remember when I once said I used to work hard in school every day to stay a step ahead of Tsukasa and you said that that wasn't much of a challenge?" Kagami interrupted. "I was wrong. All those times I would study hard or work hard or even flaunt my good grades, it was all because I knew Tsukasa had my back and the way she looked up to me; it gave me the confidence I needed and the pride in myself. Without her beside me, I'm just an empty shell."

It was when Kagami covered her face and released her tears that Konata's anger grew. Ryosuke may have led the gang-rape on Tsukasa that sent them down this fast lane to Hell itself, but it was Patty that did this to Kagami. Patty drove this wedge further between the Hiiragi twins and she was going to pay.

Konata stood and wrapped her arms around Kagami's head. She held her friend tightly and Kagami's heart raced when she felt her blue-haired friend gently kiss her on the top of her head.

_Don't you worry, Kagami. I'm going to make this right for you and your family no matter what. You mean a lot to me after all…_

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Patricia Martin walked alone down the street of Otome Road and was taking in all the sights as an escape. Hiding herself in the cosplaying crowd, she felt more paranoid in recent days ever since her altercation with Konata regarding her involvement in the Hiiragi family shrine desecration. She knew the blue-haired otaku was on to her but took some comfort in the fact that she had no evidence. Patty continued to indulge herself in manga to forget her troubles as she tried her best to scurry through the crowd to isolate herself in her apartment for the rest of the day.

Hearing a new voice call her name nearly made her skeleton rip out of her body when it called, "Patty-chan!"

Patty quickly turned and saw Hiyori Tamura waving at her with a vibrant smile and her fellow otaku began to navigate through the mass of humans to join her. Seeing her with her usual innocent meganekko face made Patty breathe a sigh of relief as the two friends joined together in the gathering on Otome Road.

"How have you been, Patty-chan?" Hiyori exclaimed happily as they began to walk side-by-side down the street.

Patty hesitated at first to try and craft her alibi but soon replied. "I've been doing fine. Just going to school and working at the cosplay café with Konata, same as always."

"That's good. Hey did you hear about that billboard of Tsukasa Hiiragi posted near here?" Hiyori asked.

The question once again made Patty nervous. Was she discovered?

"Uh…I heard about it but haven't seen it. Why, is it bad?" Her high-pitched voice somehow reached higher altitudes.

Hiyori to her surprise, smiled and laughed. "Yeah it's bad. And it serves that family right. I've hated them for so long. Prancing all about Saitama thinking they're God's gift to the damn world. Whoever did that was a genius and really knocked them down a peg. I gotta tell you, I was talking to Konata the other day and she says the Hiiragi family is dead. I hear that the parents are getting a divorce."

This was news to Patty and she couldn't help but feel even more satisfied with herself knowing that Tadao and Miki were splitting up. However, she still held her guard up when Hiyori told her she was talking with Konata. Patty feared that maybe Konata let the story of their tense standoff slip.

"Did Konata tell you anything else?" Patty asked and prepared herself for anything.

Hiyori gave a confused look and shook her head. "Not really, no. The only other thing she told me was that she's upset with how devastated Kagami is over it."

Patty tried to hide her sadistic smirk and turned to Hiyori. "Well I kinda have to agree with you. I'm not a big fan of the Hiiragi family anymore either."

"I would hope not, since I know it was you that did those billboards." Hiyori spoke.

She nearly had a heart attack right there on the spot. Trying to hide her mounting rage and panic, Patty turned her head and said, "Wha…what makes you say that, Hiyorin?"

To her surprise, Hiyori grinned again and started laughing. "You don't have to hide it, Patty. That was hands down the coolest and greatest move I've ever seen. You took ecchi and yuri to a whole new level! I think we could take it a step further and _really_ drive that family insane."

"Whoa…_we_?" Patty asked. "And I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You don't have to play innocent with me, Patty. And don't worry; your secret is safe with me because I want to help. I have a few ideas of how to keep this flowing and keep that bitch Kagami out of school and even make her drop out." Hiyori proclaimed with a sinister grin.

Patty was stunned at what she was hearing. She always thought Hiyori was on the side of Konata, which would make her side with the Hiiragi family as well but her fellow otaku was beginning to prove her wrong. Either way, Patty ordered, "Prove it to me."

Still surprising Patty, Hiyori reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. To Patty's slight surprise, the phone was pink in color and Patty remembered it being blue, but she didn't think much of it and assumed it was a new model.

Hiyori navigated her way through her mobile device and when she retrieved what she was looking for, she handed it to Patty. Grasping the phone, Patty nearly dropped it when she saw the images. She didn't know the older Hiiragi sisters personally, but did know their names and what they looked like and she felt her heart race when she saw a picture of what appeared to be Inori Hiiragi in a compromising situation with some man. They were making out heavily as the man was feeling her chest with one hand and pulling her Miko outfit down her shoulders with the other. They were also appeared to be making out in a dark alley behind a building.

"Is that…Inori Hiiragi?!" Patty exclaimed.

"Sure is. It seems she has a casual fling every week with a guy who has a thing for shrine maidens." Hiyori laughed. "The next one is just as good."

Patty couldn't be restrained and when she clicked to the next picture, it once again blew her mind. She saw the other Hiiragi daughter named Matsuri also in a compromising situation. She was in bright pink lingerie and sitting in the lap of an unknown man dressed in a business suit and the two appeared to be in a private club where men were smoking cigars and drinking expensive alcohol.

"What's the story here?" Patty's voice quivered over how scandalous the pictures were.

"From what I've heard, Matsuri has a sugar daddy from some big corporation." Hiyori added, still with a satisfied smirk across her face. "That is one screwed up family. It's easy to see why Tsukasa is the way she is now after coming from that mental house."

"This is…this is…great, Hiyorin." Patty said, practically drooling over the pictures. "Could…could you forward these pics to me? I'll have these posted all over town and their shrine this week."

Hiyori was very happy. "Only if you promise to let me help."

Patty handed the pink phone back to Hiyori. "What do you say we go back to my place and…collaborate?"

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The two girls arrived back at Patty's apartment a few hours later and continued their unholy plot to further plunge the Hiiragi family into despair. They had really cemented their new alliance with each other through their continuous bashing of the broken family and Patty showed Hiyori the contents of her computer. Sure enough, Patty had the cell phone images of Tsukasa's drug-induced dance and craze on her computer and she even showed Hiyori how she put the hurtful captions across the pictures.

"And once you can add the text boxes like that, it's a snap." The foreign girl said with a laugh.

"That's amazing. So what would you do with these new ones of Inori and Matsuri?" Hiyori asked as she backed away from Patty's computer desk and reached into her pocket and grabbed something. She moved her hands across it and placed her thumb on one of its buttons.

Patty kept her eyes locked on her screen and pondered the idea. "I don't know, but I think these could go without saying. They're all the same it appears; they both have no morals underneath their so-called cloaks of righteousness."

"If I can ask you something, why did you hit the shrine the way you did anyway?" Hiyori asked and it made Patty look up from her screen. "I mean, Tsukasa was expelled, her parents are splitting up, and her family's broken up, so why go through all that extra trouble?"

The question made Patty slowly turn her head to show a look of anger and hate. There was a long and uncomfortable pause between them until she replied, "I was humiliated in front of everyone because of Tsukasa. I was only trying to help and when she attacked me like that and mocked me for being into the things I'm interested, I took it personally. She doesn't deserve anything in her worthless life and to think that her family continues to puff and flash their shit all over the place like they're the gift to the world. I wanted to take them down several pegs and to make them feel as humiliated and defeated as possible, and that's why I did what I did to that pathetic Hiiragi shrine. I'm proud that I took those pictures of Tsukasa at that rave and spread them around and let the idiots of school continue it for me. I would do it all over again if I had the chance."

Hiyori shifted her fingers that grasped the device in her pocket and slowly withdrew her empty hand and sat down. "I understand what you mean when you say you want to knock that smug family down a few notches. Now, with these new images of the other Hiiragi bitches, we'll bury all of them at once."

Patty's angry expression melted away and another look of satisfaction replaced it. "Damn right. By the way, you _will _send me those pictures to my email, right?"

Hiyori deepened her grin and pulled out her pink cell phone and began to attach the photos to a text message addressed to Patty. As she did this, Patty couldn't help but notice the striking similarities between their two phones. Patty took her phone out of her pocket and compared it to Hiyori's as she continued to construct the message.

"When did you get the new phone, Hiyorin?" Patty asked. "It looks just like mine."

Hiyori pressed the send button and closed her phone. "A few days ago. The only problem I have with this one is that it sometimes takes too long for it to send pictures so just give it some time."

Patty nodded and placed her phone on the computer desk and asked Hiyori to see it. She complied and tossed it to Patty, who held it and only observed the outside of it and didn't open it. "I know how that is with phones and computers. It took me awhile to figure out this software to crop and caption those pictures of Tsukasa."

Hiyori nodded and watched Patty place the two identical phones side-by-side on the desk.

"Could you wait here for a moment? I need to use the bathroom." Patty said and left the room for a very quick moment. When she returned, Hiyori informed her that she had received a text message from her big brother and that she needed to return home ASAP. The two girls bid each other goodbye and said they'd see each other the next morning at school to continue their plots of the Hiiragi downfall.

Patty sat alone at her computer desk again and pondered what she would do with those new images of Inori and Matsuri. She looked at her pink cell phone sitting on her desk and saw it wasn't blinking, meaning she hadn't received the pictures yet. It had been about twenty minutes since Hiyori left and even longer factoring in when she sent the pictures so she was perked with curiosity. Patty leaned forward and opened her phone.

Something was different about it. Her phone's wallpaper, which was a screenshot of the final position of the dance in _The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya _was gone and it was replaced with a bland wallpaper pattern consisting of a zebra pattern. It was the type of wallpaper that came standard to any newly issued phone.

Not knowing what to make of the situation, Patty navigated through the menu options and looked for anything that would be in her phone whether it was phone numbers, ringtones, or custom wallpapers that would tell her she was still holding her phone. She began to panic when she couldn't find anything about her identity in her phone and when she looked in the image gallery, she realized something was truly wrong when the images of Inori and Matsuri were gone.

_What the hell just happened?_ That was Patty's only thought as she paced back and forth and forth in her apartment with fear. She feared her day of reckoning was just around the corner.

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The next day at school was normal and status quo for everybody as Patty made her way through the crowd of her fellow students. She glanced at every face she could to see if there was anything telling that her cover was blown. Every time she met eyes with someone, they either looked away casually or wished her good morning if they knew her. Nothing was out of the ordinary.

Her day progressed slowly but still normally and with each passing status quo update, she felt more at ease but still knew something was up. She concluded the previous night that Hiyori took her phone but the big question was if it was a mistake or not. What made Patty more paranoid was that Hiyori was a no-show all day for school. That was until lunch.

When the lunch bell sounded and Patty joined Minami and Yutaka in their classroom, they heard Hiyori's voice announce, "Hey guys!"

They turned and saw her enter the classroom with her lunch and she quickly joined them at the conjoined desks. Yutaka presented her usual cheerful charm while Minami remained reserved about showing emotions to Hiyori's late arrival. Patty on the other hand nearly blew her own cover with a near outburst when she asked, "Where were you?"

"I wasn't feeling well this morning but I'm better now." Hiyori said as she sat. "By the way, Patty, I have your phone. I took it by mistake last night."

Patty breathed a sigh of relief as Hiyori reached into her pocket and slid her phone to the foreign student. "Thanks a lot. I was really looking for my phone last night."

The four friends continued to eat together and once again, it was business as usual. It wasn't until near the end of their meal that Ryōō High School was once again rocked by scandal. From the intercom, the school's chimes sounded, announcing that a message was about to come.

"Attention everyone, may I have your attention please?" A familiar voice said, perking Yutaka's ears up.

"Is that…onee-chan?" Yutaka asked with a wide-eyed expression.

What came next drained Patty's skin of its color. A familiar voice came that announced, _"She doesn't deserve anything in her worthless life and to think that her family continues to puff and flash their shit all over the place like they're the gift to the world. I wanted to take them down several pegs and to make them feel as humiliated and defeated as possible, and that's why I did what I did to that pathetic Hiiragi shrine. I'm proud that I took those pictures of Tsukasa at that rave and spread them around and let the idiots of school continue it for me. I would do it all over again if I had the chance. She doesn't deserve anything in her worthless life and to think that her family continues to puff and flash their shit all over the place like they're the gift to the world. I wanted to take them down several pegs and to make them feel as humiliated and defeated as possible, and that's why I did what I did to that pathetic Hiiragi shrine. I'm proud that I took those pictures of Tsukasa at that rave and spread them around and let the idiots of school continue it for me. I would do it all over again if I had the chance."_

It was Patty's voice and she was repeating the conversation she had with Hiyori last night. Hiyori recorded every word she said and now it was played over the intercom for the whole school to hear. When the recording ended, all eyes turned on Patricia Martin, who now sat as pale as a ghost. Yutaka's innocent face presented a show of horror as she shied away from Patty and closer to Minami.

Patty looked at Hiyori, who had a stern look plastered across her head. Patty couldn't help but huff with a weak grin and say, "Good one, Hiyorin. Good one."

The foreign exchange student found herself in the principal's office so fast, she barely had time to stand from her chair. Hiyori Tamura and Konata Izumi also stood before the same principal that handed down sentences to Kagami and Tsukasa weeks earlier.

"Okay, I want the truth from all of you." The older principal spat with anger. "What is going on here? Izumi, you first."

Konata stepped forward, her head hanging low. "Sir, Patty is responsible for vandalizing the Hiiragi family shrine, which I'm sure you know of by now. She's also the one who spread those scandalous pictures of Tsukasa-san around the school. I always knew she did it, but I couldn't prove it, until Tamura-san helped by recording a conversation she had with Patty a few days ago."

Hearing this altered version of the story prompted Patty to respond. "Hiyori was at my home last night and she stole my cell phone!"

"Please, Martin, you'll get your turn!" The principal thundered, immediately silencing her. "You were saying, Izumi?"

"Tamura-san and I were texting last night on what we should do and I took this matter into my own hands when I heard the recording." Konata said with only semi-honest shame. "That's why I uploaded the recording to the school's PA system. So that Patty would know the embarrassment she caused for the Hiiragi family."

Turning his attention to Patty, the principal, with a horrid look of anger on his face, said, "Is this true, Martin?"

Patty's stuttering and slurred speech confirmed it for him. Patty still tried to make a defense though. "Tamura-san was at my home last night and she too has pictures of the other Hiiragi daughters in such positions and was planning on spreading them to the school! Look in her cell phone and you'll see them and the fact that she wasn't texting Izumi last night because she was with me!"

The principal looked at Hiyori. "Let me see your cell phone, Tamura."

Hiyori was reluctant but slowly retracted her hand into her pocket and pulled out her phone. To Patty's sudden horror, she saw Hiyori was now holding her old blue phone as she handed it to the principal.

"That's not her phone! She must've used a fake one or—"

"Martin, I'm not going to tell you, again!" The principal yelled and began to look through the image gallery of the phone. He wouldn't admit it but he was a little impressed to see so many pictures of avid cosplayers, but he found no images of either Matsuri or Inori Hiiragi. He also looked through the text messages and also asked for Konata's phone and compared the two. They checked out. There was a text conversation between Hiyori and Konata last night that ranged from 6:30 to 8:00 the previous night.

"There story seems credible to me, Martin. What's your excuse?" The principal said and handed the girls' phones back to them.

Patty didn't know what to do as it seemed she was in a corner. "I didn't vandalize the shrine! That recording doesn't prove jack!"

"Sir, if I may interject," Hiyori said quietly and submissively, grabbing the principal's attention. "I didn't catch this on the recording, but Patty-chan did say that she still had the images of Tsukasa on her phone and all who she sent them to, who kept forwarding them."

The principal looked back at Patty and held out his hand. "Let me see _your_ phone, Martin."

To everyone's surprise, Patty became enraged. "I'm not staying here and taking this anymore! All I ever wanted was to come here and be a good student and make friends but this is shit! You all can go to hell and fuck this school!"

Patty stormed out of the principal's office, leaving everyone stunned. Silence surrounded them until the principal sighed. "Tamura, wait outside. Izumi, you stay here."

Hiyori bowed to her principal and closed the door on her way out, leaving just the principal and Konata alone.

"I understand what you did and why you did it, but the fact is, Izumi, you broke school rules by using that recording over our PA system. There will be consequences for that." The principal calmly stated.

"I know, sir, but with all due respect, I don't think the Hiiragi's would've gotten justice if I didn't do what I did." Konata stood tall in defense of her friends. "I'm sure you know this but Kagami Hiiragi hasn't been in school for three days straight."

The principal nodded. "I know. Her mother called me this morning and told me she still wasn't feeling herself and that she may have to repeat her senior year. It's a shame what happened to that family. A damn shame. They didn't deserve _anything_ that happened to them, especially Tsukasa."

Konata nodded slightly with a depressed look. "I was talking to Kagami yesterday and she was saying the same things about repeating the year."

"You seem to be pretty close to Kagami and her family, Izumi." The principal added as he sat back in his chair.

Konata lowered her head and her depressed look deepened. "Kagami is my best friend. I love her with every fiber of my soul and to see her in so much pain and to see this happening to them is hurting me so."

The principal nodded slowly and more silence fell between them until he sighed again and broke it. "Look Izumi, I'm only telling you this because of how close you are to them and I can see how much you care about them. If all your accusations against Martin prove credible, then I'll have to bring the police in and if they drop the assault charges against Tsukasa and pursue criminal harassment and destruction of private property against Martin, then I'll reconsider my earlier decision and allow Tsukasa back in school."

Konata felt a smile tug at the corners of her mouth but she remained calm and serious. "Thank you sir, but why go through all that trouble?"

"I have a daughter, too. She's a few years older than you and the Hiiragi twins. She's studying at Tokyo University right now and I understand the pain the Hiiragi's are going through. If any of that happened to my only daughter and child, I wouldn't know how to deal with it." The principal finished.

Hiyori Tamura waited for another few minutes until Konata reemerged from the office and the two began to walk back to their classrooms together. When they were out of range of the principal's office, Hiyori had to confess.

"Did we do good, sempai?" Hiyori asked with deep guilt in her voice. "We lied to the principal about how we cornered Patty. I feel awful about this plan."

Konata rethought the entire chain of events that brought them to this. Konata had found those images of the shrine maiden making out with some guy and the girl in the lingerie on the other guy's lap on different websites. She was able to use her computer know-how to alter their faces and hair colors the best she could to make them look like Inori and Matsuri. Konata knew that Patty didn't know the oldest Hiiragi daughters that well and hoped that she could capitalize on that and it worked. She then forwarded the images to a phone she bought at an electronic store that could only receive pictures and texts that looked identical to Patty's. From there, Hiyori took that phone and gave Konata her real blue one. It had to be Hiyori that met with Patty the previous night because Konata and Patty were already wise to each other, thus Hiyori was the only person Konata could trust. Konata spent that night having a conversation with herself in a certain sense with her phone and Hiyori's phone. She would send a message from her phone to Hiyori's, then respond to it using Hiyori's phone and kept going back and forth. Hiyori had to put on her best acting skills and show those fake pictures of Inori and Matsuri to Patty to gain her trust. When Patty spilled her heart out to Hiyori, she recorded it with a voice recorder in her pocket. When Patty went to the bathroom, Hiyori switched the phones and took Patty's. After she left Patty's apartment, Hiyori and Konata met one final time and found the images of Tsukasa on the phone and once again using Konata's computer expertise, they were able to copy all the information regarding when the pictures were taken, which phone they were taken on, and ultimately, who sent them around first. It all linked back to Patty. They then sent it to the police in an email. It was now a matter of time until Patty would be getting a visit from some police officers.

"I think we did good, Hiyorin." Konata said quietly. "I know if feels strange to lie to the principal and others like that, but we did what we needed to do."

"But did it work for the Hiiragi's too?" Hiyori asked. "I wanted to help Kagami and her family out, but at what cost? My own conscience? My own sense of honesty?"

Konata grabbed Hiyori by the shoulders and looked at her in the eyes. "Don't fall apart on me, Hiyorin. What you did was very brave and courageous for Kagami and her family. The principal told me that he'll reconsider letting Tsukasa back into school now and dropping the assault charges for what you did. You helped save the Hiiragi family."

Hiyori slowly nodded. "But will Tsukasa take the opportunity? That's the question."

Konata looked away. "Only time will tell."

Was this a victory for Konata and Hiyori? Was this a victory for the Hiiragi family? Who was the true monster in this crime? Was it Tsukasa or was it Patty? The depth of this tragedy was so deep that friendships were now dissolving and hearts were being broken. In a way, everyone lost a little bit of innocence when Tsukasa was raped. It was no longer an innocent time for any of them. What was to become of Kagami's circle of friends by the end of this day was to be determined.

However, what lied ahead for the Hiiragi family was the day of reckoning. Everything they had been through as a family was now going to seem like a rainy day. Tomorrow night, every fiber of resilience and loyalty for the Hiiragi family would be tested. Tomorrow night, more blood would be shed. Tomorrow night, Tsukasa would have one final decision to make for not only her family, but for herself and what their destinies would become. The Hiiragi family day of reckoning would involve everything. Horror, tragedy, drama, emotions…death itself.

***A/N: ONLY FOUR CHAPTERS LEFT OF THE STORY…**


	20. The Tragedy

CHAPTER 20

THE TRAGEDY

Tadao Hiiragi sat in the dark on his rock-hard bed in his motel room with the phone to his ear. Feeling depressed and grounded, he listened to his newly hired lawyer explain the grisly details of what the legal proceeding was like in a divorce. It was ugly and worst of all it was going to hurt his daughters more than it was going to settle anything. As his lawyer's words became white noise, he reminisced about the devastating events that brought him to this spot. He admitted that despite the fact that Miki stole from a charity for the homeless, he was still in love with her and that he didn't want it to come to this. Tadao was regretting his decision to divorce his wife but at the same time couldn't ignore what she did. What would any man do in his spot?

He suddenly heard a knock on his motel door, giving him a perfect excuse to cut his legal conversation short and inform his lawyer he'd call him back. With that unpleasantness behind him for the moment, Tadao opened his motel door, expecting it to be either Inori or Matsuri, maybe even Miki hoping to reconcile.

Anyone could imagine his surprise when a tall man with blue hair was standing before him. Though they've only met a few times in the past and never became close friends, Tadao recognized this man to be Sojiro Izumi, Konata's father.

"I…Izumi…" Tadao's voice and perplexed expression illustrated his surprise.

He smiled and replied, "No need for formalities, Tadao. Just call me Sojiro."

"What can I do for you then?" Tadao asked, trying desperately to hide his upset persona underneath his exterior.

"It seems my daughter visited yours the other day and she asked me to come and see you." Sojiro replied with a joyful appearance. "Konata told me about the marital problems you're having and since Konata and Kagami are good friends, I wanted to come over here and just have a talk with you."

Tadao's eyes slowly shifted away. "How did you know where to find me?"

"It also seems that there are no secrets between our two daughters." Sojiro added with a deepening smile. "They're very close, you know. It was Kagami that told Konata where you were. I think that was Kagami's subliminal way of trying to ask for help."

Hearing this only made Tadao feel worse about the situation. He knew how badly this split with Miki was hurting her and she was now exhausting all her means to try and stop it. "I'm sorry my daughter made you come all the way out here."

To Tadao's surprise, Sojiro kept his smile and shook his head. "I don't even want to hear it, Tadao. Now come on, there's a bar down the street so since I came all this way we might as well drink a few rounds."

Tadao shook his head. "That's very kind of you, but I don't drink."

"You do now. You're a member of an exclusive club now; the single father's club so come on. It's even all on me since it's your initiation night." Sojiro added, practically grabbing Tadao and pulling him out of his dreary motel room and down the street.

It all happened so fast and Tadao barely had time to react. Less than five minutes ago he was talking to his lawyer and now he was sitting in a bar with a man he barely knew drowning the sorrows of his broken family. The atmosphere was as depressing as the current Hiiragi home life so naturally, Tadao fit in perfectly there. Sojiro ordered them two drinks and to Tadao's surprise, the widowing Izumi swallowed it in one large gulp and immediately demanded another.

Tadao slowly sipped the powerful beverage and it was an immediate fiery sucker punch to his taste buds and fought the urge to spit it out. It barely made it down his throat as it too burned his esophagus and his stomach felt like a wildfire as he breathed deeply and Sojiro laughed at him.

"Yeah you weren't kidding. You really aren't a drinker." He exclaimed and downed his second drink.

Tadao finally forced the rest of the burning liquid down his aching throat and shook his head. Through his coughs he said, "But it's not that bad really. I can see how this would take anyone's mind off their troubles."

Sojiro nodded as he watched the bartender pour his third round. It suddenly became serious. "I remember when I first came here. My wife had just died a few days earlier and my parents were in town. They took care of Konata for me while I went on my own little downward spiral."

Tadao slowly looked at his budding new friend. He had known that he and Konata had both lost their beloved Kanata many years ago but he didn't know the exact details of what happened or what happened afterward. He knew it wasn't his business but now it seemed the older Izumi was about to open up and allow him to hear the details.

"You know, Tadao, I was in your exact same spot when Kanata passed away." Sojiro took this third drink and watched the liquid swish in his glass. "Kanata was my everything. I remember when I first asked her parents for her hand in marriage. Do you know what they said to me?"

Tadao shook his head.

"They said no before I could finish the request. Her father even took it a few steps further and said that I was creepy and that I wasn't good enough for his daughter." Sojiro added as he swished the liquid in his glass and watched it dance. "I said that he was right. I wasn't good enough for Kanata. My exact words were, 'you're right, sir. I'm not good enough for your daughter. I don't think any man on this Earth is fit enough to hold her hand let alone stand by her and be husband. Your daughter is a goddess among mortals. What she sees in a degenerate like me is beyond all comprehension of rationality but the fact of the matter is that she does see something. That gives someone like me hope. Hope that maybe there is something more to me than what meets the eye. Your daughter wields a powerful force that could topple any empire without firing a single shot. That force is called her love and if I could marry into it, I would cherish it and protect it forever. Whatever she loves and cherishes, I would accept with open arms.' That's what I said to her father. He changed his mind right there on the spot."

Tadao was speechless. That was one of the most romantic things he had ever heard in his life and it even topped everything he ever said to Miki in their marriage. He remained silent as Sojiro continued.

"When Konata was born, we were both so happy, but it was short-lived. Kanata became ill and I spent every moment I had with her. I was there until the very end when she died in front of me it was then that I wanted to die, too." Sojiro said and quickly downed the drink. "When I lost Kanata, I felt I lost everything and that there was nothing worth living for. I left Konata with my parents, checked into a motel, and lived inside the bottle for nearly an entire week while contemplating killing myself."

Becoming more vested in the story, Tadao asked, "What snapped you out of it?"

Sojiro suddenly formed another smile after bringing the mood down with such a depressing story. "It was when I wandered home one night drunk and I saw my daughter. She was crawling on her own and she tried to pick up a manga that was nearly as big as she was. When I saw her hoist it up, it was too heavy for her and it pulled her to the side and she fell down. I realized what I was missing. Konata was going to grow up and if I didn't shape up, it would pass me by. And I asked myself what Kanata would say about me if she saw me like that. Wasting away in a stingy motel room drinking away my troubles and abandoning Konata as my tribute to her. It all made sense then. My daughter. My daughter was and still is everything to me. She's the only thing I have left of Kanata's memory and I wanted to be there to cherish and protect that memory, just like I told her father."

Tadao looked at his empty glass. "Is this why you brought me out here, Sou-kun?"

Hearing his name uttered in that style surprised Sojiro. "My wife called me that."

Tadao nodded. "Like you said earlier, there are no secrets between our two daughters."

Sojiro chuckled and patted Tadao on the shoulder. "Listen my friend, Konata told me that there was an issue between you and your wife. I don't know what the issue is but I know it's none of my business but I do want to say one thing. I can see you get the point of my story. It was my daughter that saved me from myself and I was always there for her ever since. Your daughters still love you and whatever issues you may have with your wife, I can assure you that none of them can trump your love for your daughters."

Tadao slowly nodded. "I love Inori, Matsuri, and Kagami with everything I've got. But what my wife did was unforgivable. It hurt a lot of people and not just the ones she loves."

"I couldn't help but notice you only mentioned three names. I believe you missed one." Sojiro observed as he signaled the bartender for another round.

This observation only made Tadao cringe as now he wanted another round. When he got it, he downed it like a pro, surprising Sojiro. Tadao coughed lightly and added, "I only have three daughters, Sou-kun."

Sojiro slowly shook his head. "I remember awhile ago when Kagami and Tsukasa had a sleepover with Konata at our home. I was very humbled by your daughters' politeness and selfless attitudes. Tsukasa especially. She was so sweet, caring, helpful, and happy."

Tadao asked for a third round and abruptly swallowed it. "She _was_. But what she too has done is horrible. I've done everything I could as a father for her."

"Really? _Everything?_" Sojiro implied something else.

Quickly turning his head, Tadao showed a stern facial expression. "Since there are no secrets, I assume you know everything about Tsukasa up until now so what would you do if it was Konata in Tsukasa's place?"

Tadao saw Sojiro shudder briefly. From one father to another, Tadao knew that Sojiro felt a horrific chill while thinking about such an atrocious crime happening to Konata. "If Konata was on a spiral like Tsukasa, I would _never_ stop loving her. No matter how much shame she brought me. No matter how much she hurt me. No matter how much she wanted to prove something to me. No matter how much trouble she got in with the law or anybody else. Love is the most powerful tool a parent can have and it can and will conquer everything ugly and horrible in this world. Kanata taught me that."

Once again, Sojiro spoke profound words. Tadao's sudden look of guilt and shame made the oldest Izumi smile and finish his last drink. He paid for all the drinks and stood up. "I have to go. Konata said she'll be home a little late so I want to be there for her. I would like to have another round with you one day, Tadao Hiiragi. I think we have a lot to talk about as fathers."

Sojiro left the bar with a smile on his face, an opposite for Tadao. He stared at his last drink compliments of his new friend and rethought everything. The old memories of Tsukasa's birth popped into his head, along with their first dance together in the Kagura-den and everything else up until last fateful New Years. He felt tears in his eyes as he readied himself to drink he realized something new. He still loved his youngest daughter, Tsukasa Hiiragi. He wanted her back and he wanted her safe in his home. He still loved Miki and didn't want to leave her or their daughters. Tadao swallowed the drink and stormed out of the bar to once again resume his undying duties as a father and husband. He wasn't going to let his family go so easily.

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She wasn't satisfied with where her life was going. Tsukasa Hiiragi sat in the backroom of The Black Window and once again found herself in the epicenter of a life of drugs and self-destruction. Hugging her legs to her chest and curled into a ball, Tsukasa couldn't help but think about the chain of events that led her back here. The civil war in her family that led to her banishment should've felt like a war of liberation, but it still felt like a civil war. Tsukasa remembered when she held that kitchen knife to Kagami's throat and looked in her older sister's eyes. That look Kagami gave her. A look of sheer desperation and defeat. She couldn't get it out of her head.

Tsukasa felt a rollercoaster of emotions when she returned to The Black Window. At first, Tsukasa felt enraged and angry. To think that Yuka Miyakawa simply tossed her out the car door and left her to die when she overdosed on drugs after all they'd been together. Tsukasa was so confused. After she was raped, her concept of love was severely damaged and she thought all the times she and Miyakawa had sex was true love. When Tsukasa angrily confronted her on this, Miyakawa got angry and yelled at her. She told the still-naïve Hiiragi girl that she now belonged to the streets and that it wasn't the pampered lifestyle she was so accustomed to. Life was very short, hard, and painful in the streets and the few days they knew they had on Earth would be dedicated to whatever gave them the strength to even wakeup in the morning. If one of them went down, they weren't going to let that drag all of them down and that's why Miyakawa ditched Tsukasa when she was in trouble.

What else could Tsukasa do? She had nowhere else to go but to continue to slip further down the social scale, if that was still possible. She lifted her head again and slowly looked around the backroom and felt scared. She was surrounded by the same people who brought the drugs that nearly killed her and eerie smoke continued to hover high above them. Used or still-burning joints were sitting in ashtrays while empty plastic bags littered the floor, as well as empty pill bottles and used syringes.

What scared Tsukasa more was what she saw Yuka Miyakawa doing. With metal music pulsing around them and setting a troglodytic atmosphere, Miyakawa was slowly dancing with one of the male junkies. They held each other close and Tsukasa felt disgusted when she saw the guy fondle Miyakawa's chest and suckle her neck. Miyakawa held the guy close and nibbled his ear as she drifted her hand below his belt. They whispered seductive things into each other's ears and tested each other. How long would it take for one to rip the clothes off the other?

When they put their tongues in each other's mouths, that's when Tsukasa shuddered and looked away. She suddenly found she was trying to use an old trick she tried to use when she was being raped in the Kagura-den. Tsukasa tried to leave her body and be in a happy place. It once again proved to be a futile attempt when she realized she had no more happy places. Whenever she was depressed in the past, she would think about cooking with Miki, or being in a world full of puppies, or being with Kagami. She couldn't see her happy places anymore. Now she felt like Kagami without Tsukasa; an empty shell.

As she tried to leave this uncomfortable scene, Tsukasa didn't notice another male junkie standing in the corner with his eyes locked on her. He was scanning her, eyeing her body and he was aroused by her. He squinted with a sinister mind and turned his attention to Miyakawa, who couldn't take the foreplay anymore and took her lover by the hand and began to lead him into the secluded bedroom.

Before she could disappear in the next room, the junkie eyeing Tsukasa turned to Miyakawa and cut her off. Tsukasa didn't see him whispering something to Miyakawa, who grinned and she nodded. She let her lover's hand go momentarily and walked over to Tsukasa, grabbing her attention.

"Hey there sweet face, still having fun?" She asked in a fake voice of affection.

"What are you doing with that guy, Yuka?" Tsukasa asked in a voice that was getting ready to cry.

Miyakawa rolled her eyes and groaned. "Look Tsukasa, you make for a good triple-x throw down every now and then, but I'm still a woman and I need some man-meat inside me every now and then. Besides, you see that guy over there?"

Tsukasa turned her head and saw the guy who was eyeing her a minute earlier.

"He's pretty nice and kinda cute, don't you think?" Miyakawa asked. "Anyway, he says he likes you and that he wants to have you."

The idea triggered another rollercoaster ride of emotions and she was scared. The thought of another man doing those things to her again only brought back the nightmares that haunted every corner of her once innocent mind since New Years. She pulled herself tighter into a ball and shook her head while whimpering.

"Look, are you going to keep up this quiet little daddy's girl routine forever?" Miyakawa asked with frustration. "You think you were the only one who was dealt a bad hand? My dad used to beat my mom and me so I escaped using drugs and having sex. Now if you want to forget your troubles, either take another hit or give me half an hour and you can have the bedroom when I'm done."

Miyakawa left Tsukasa open and vulnerable again as the youngest Hiiragi daughter felt more scared. She felt more tears form in her eyes as she watched the woman whom she thought she could trust and whom she thought loved her take a junkie's hand and lead him to the back bedroom. He slammed the door behind them and Tsukasa truly felt open and abandoned. In addition, she now had to feel paranoid and scared because there was a guy in the same room with her who wanted to have his way with her.

Tsukasa kept an eye on him. Her heart pounded faster and faster as the junkie refused to take his eyes off her. As she stared at him, something made her more frightened. This man looked a lot like one of her rapists named Daisuke, the one who videotaped her ordeal and was the last one to rape her mercilessly. Her breathing deepened and she tried to keep herself calm as she scanned the rest of the room in search of anyone that could help if something happened. There were only two other guys in the room and one was unconscious while the other was clearly stoned and couldn't even sit properly as he was slouched over with an empty pill bottle in his grasp. They would be less than useless if something happened.

Movement caught Tsukasa's eyes and when she looked towards it, she saw the man who was eyeing her begin to walk towards her. She instinctively stood up and tried to keep her body covered with her arms and froze as he stopped short of her and Tsukasa continued to breathe deeply with obvious fear in her eyes.

"Hey there, I've been watching you all night." He said in a voice that sent a chill down Tsukasa's spine.

She looked away, trying to conceal the fear in her eyes. "Please, I don't want to…do anything. I'm scared."

This man with long, dirty black hair that nearly covered his eyes formed a small grin, making Tsukasa's heart beat faster. "Once I get it in my mind that I want something, I _always_ have it."

With her knees shaking, Tsukasa felt one tear run down her cheek as she tried to uproot her planted feet and get out of the haunting store. She was able to take one step back until she saw the junkie's eyes shift to the front of the store where he could see the shop's windows and the darkness of the night outside.

He turned his eyes back to Tsukasa and said, "I guess if you want to leave this place, you can. Isn't that your sister from the other day outside looking at us?"

Tsukasa quickly turned around thinking she would meet eyes with Kagami but to her surprise, they only met darkness. She should've seen what was coming next. A pair of hands wrapped themselves around Tsukasa's top and with sudden and fierce vehemence, she was thrown onto the floor. Before she knew what had happened, the junkie straddled her and was on top of her.

Tsukasa snapped. In the blink of an eye, she unleashed an unprecedented wave of screams and thrashes as she tried to fight off her attacker as he grabbed the front of her top. With more violent movements, the junkie ripped Tsukasa's top apart and exposed her petite body, covered by a white bra. He grabbed her breasts and the horrors of New Years exploded and she increased her thrashing and struggles as she screamed.

"No…! No…! Please don't do it…! I don't want it…! I beg you, don't rape me…! No, don't do it…!" Tsukasa cried with the tears pouring from her eyes as she continued to thrash and kick. It soon proved ineffective when he dragged his tongue across her face and neck, making her scream for Miyakawa. "Yuka…help me!"

Inside the bedroom, Yuka planted herself on top of her lover as they stretched on the raggedy bed. Her black bra wrapped around her breasts was the only thing keeping her decent as she rocked herself back and forth on top of the junkie. She heard Tsukasa's cries for help but tried her best to ignore them.

"Isn't that your friend outside?" The junkie asked.

Miyakawa rolled her eyes. "Yeah, just ignore her. Once your friend penetrates her, she'll be fine. She's such a drama queen."

Miyakawa took a remote control and turned on a stereo system and played more death metal music to drown out Tsukasa's cries for help as she resumed her dirty deeds with the junkie by pulling the blanket over top of them.

Tsukasa continued to struggle as she heard the junkie undoing his belt. She looked around desperately for assistance but saw the other two junkies hadn't changed positions. One was still unconscious while the other was still on a drug trip and had no idea that Tsukasa was in trouble again. She didn't give up. Knowing that time was running out as she felt him pull at her tight pants, she spotted an ashtray with several objects sitting in it and she quickly reached for it.

Not knowing what she just grabbed, Tsukasa wrapped her fingers around it and swung it towards the junkie and closed her eyes. She didn't expect to hear the junkie scream in excruciating pain and when Tsukasa opened her eyes, she petrified herself when she saw what she did to her would-be rapist. A used syringe was jammed into his cheek and the needle traveled through his flesh and lodged itself into the top of one of his back molars, which sent intense shockwaves of pain into him as both his tooth and cheek leaked blood.

He rolled off the top of Tsukasa and held his face and thrashed, giving Tsukasa the opportunity she needed. Holding her torn top together and still trying to keep herself covered, she sprung to her feet and ran as fast as she could out of The Black Window and into the desolate night. She ran and ran down the empty sidewalk in the frigid cold with all her strength but she only made it a few blocks until the frigid winter air drained her strength. Tsukasa slowed to a jog and eventually to a stop.

She breathed deeply as she stood next to an alleyway and tried to make sense of everything that had just happened. She was already gang-raped in her family's shrine but now it felt that the same thing had happened again. Her heart continued to pound like a drum and she sweated despite being in the cold and she slowly sank to her knees. Trembling heavily, Tsukasa grunted and whimpered in fear until she let it out again. She screamed with all her might though no one was around to hear her and her tears continued to flow as she cried after the horrifying ordeal. Feeling her stomach tighten, she quickly sprung to her feet and vomited into an open trashcan as the clouds moved in above her. A storm was on its way.

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For some reason, Konata was nervous. As she sat alone in the busy restaurant, she felt her right knee shaking as she looked at her watch, reading 8:00 pm on the dot. Why was she so nervous? It's not like this was the first time she was meeting a friend to share a meal and talk about what's been going on in their lives. Maybe it had something to do with why she was there and who she was seeing.

When Konata saw the restaurant door open and she glanced over to see the person walking inside, her heart leaped into her throat. Seeing the short wafting hair of Kagami's new look triggered Konata to raise her hand and wave the oldest Hiiragi twin over to her. Keeping her usual serious face, Kagami walked into the dining area past the other customers as they ate and laughed with their family and friends. Kagami slowly took off her jacket and sat down across from Konata in the booth.

"I hope you didn't have any trouble getting here." Konata said.

Kagami shook her head. "No, not really. Inori and Matsuri took mom out shopping to try and take her mind off what's been going on around our home and I didn't have anything else to do. So what did you want to talk about?"

Konata cleared her throat. "I want you to come back to school tomorrow, Kagamin."

Kagami raised her eyebrows as her only response.

"This thing with Tsukasa and the pictures is all-but resolved and nobody is going to make fun of you or your family anymore." Konata added. "I found the person responsible for it all and we both owe Hiyorin a big thanks because without her, she wouldn't have been able to help me. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know because when you come back to school tomorrow, I want you to be prepared. The person who did that to your shrine and added those billboards in Saitama was—"

"Patty-chan." Kagami stated with no emotion.

Hearing this nearly made Konata fall out of her seat. "You…you knew…? The whole time…?

"The whole time." Kagami added as the waitress sat complimentary glasses of water in front of them and left.

Konata gulped. She thought she knew everything about Kagami but it turns out her attempts to bust Patty may have been in vain after all. "But…but…but why didn't you do anything? Why didn't you call the police? Why didn't you call the school?"

"What do you think was more important to me at the time, Konata? Busting Patty-chan, or getting my baby sister back from the darkness that she's now a part of?" Kagami snapped as she took a drink of the refreshing water. "Come on, Konata. Tsukasa is expelled for beating Patty to a pulp and then she disappears from school and the next thing we know our shrine is vandalized. It doesn't take Detective Conan to put that together."

Konata couldn't help but grin on the inside upon hearing the anime reference but kept her poker face solid on the outside. "But…I don't get it, Kagami. You didn't take any action. Hiyorin and I worked hard and risked a lot for you and your family so that you could come back to school."

Kagami looked away. "I'm not coming back."

"What are you talking about? Is this about the other day when I came to your home?" The blue-haired otaku felt a mixture of frustration and fright.

Shaking her head, Kagami looked at her friend again. "This has nothing to do with you, Hiyori, Patty-chan, or even those pictures of Tsukasa. My sister is gone, Konata. Tsukasa is gone and there's nothing I can do about that. Busting Patty-chan or me coming back and even getting a law degree isn't going to change that, and that's why I'm not coming back to school. There's no more point in it."

Konata was now frustrated. She saw Kagami throwing her life away and was in a way joining Tsukasa. "So because Tsukasa is gone, that means you're going to keep hurting yourself and punishing your family and—"

"Shut up, Konata!" Kagami yelled, halting all the activity in the restaurant and now they were the center of attention. A few tense seconds of quiet passed until the activity slowly returned but people were still looking at them as Kagami continued. "What if it was Yu-chan, Konata?"

"Yu-chan?" The blue-haired girl was confused.

"Remember awhile ago before Yu-chan moved in with you and you, me, and Tsukasa were sitting in this exact same restaurant and you said that Yu-chan was like a little sister to you?" Kagami tried to jog Konata's memory. When Konata's facial expressions showed she remembered that one Valentine's Day a long time ago, it allowed Kagami to continue. "What if it was Yu-chan that was violently gang-raped in your own home and it sent her on this spiral? What would you have done if Yu-chan turned into a monster and started hating you and began to get in trouble, tried to kill herself by her own hands and with drugs and to attack you or your dad with such violent and merciless fury with no regrets? What if she even succeeded in killing somebody, like Yui-san? Would you want to go on at that point? _Could_ you even go on at that point? What would you do, Konata? What would you do?"

The outburst shocked the blue-haired girl as this meeting wasn't going as she had planned and hoped. The terrifying hypothetical scenario took her by surprise and the only thing she could vocalize were grunts and stutters.

"You see…you hesitate." Kagami snapped with her narrowing eyes and she folded her arms across her chest. "You wouldn't know what to do. None of us did…and that's why I feel we failed Tsukasa. Tsukasa left us a diary and in its pages, she showed us that we thought we knew what was best for her and we always treated her like a baby. Tsukasa needed to recover in her own way but we didn't let that happen."

"What's your point?" Konata asked quietly.

"My point is that none of us know what we think we know. I even thought I knew what was best for Tsukasa instead of her and I played my part in throwing her down this vicious cycle that has broken us." Kagami said and hung her head. "I can't even cry about it anymore because I'm so damn depressed about it that it has reached new levels where crying seems so petty. I'm dropping out of school because if I didn't even know what was best for my own sister, what makes you think I know what's best for me in the academic world? My father is gone now, too, and I need to play my part in keeping my family afloat."

Konata slowly shook her head. "So that's it? You're just giving up?"

To her horror, Kagami nodded. "That's the only thing left to do. I'm going into Tokyo tomorrow to find a job to help support my family. I heard there was a fishing company that hired people at my level to clean fish."

Konata glared at such a grotesque degradation to Kagami's dignity. "But you're better than that, Kagami. You can go to law school and even become Prime Minister of Japan one day! Don't let this be the death of you!"

Kagami looked away again and began to tremble. It was at this moment that both their worlds would crumble forever when Kagami opened her mouth and added, "I don't think we should be friends anymore either, Konata."

She didn't believe what she heard at first. Konata turned her head so her ear would face Kagami's mouth and asked to repeat that.

"I said we shouldn't be friends anymore, Konata." Kagami said with a sniffle in her voice. "When Tsukasa was raped, a curse was put on us. We've sunk below everything that could possibly go wrong and now I fear that anyone who gets close to us will also be cursed. I never used to believe in that stuff…until they proved themselves right. To think…this all started with Tsukasa drawing a great blessing fortune on New Years."

Kagami slowly rose from her seat and Konata's heart began to pound. Was this truly it for them? "Wait, where are you going, Kagamin?"

Kagami slid her jacket on again. "Home, where I belong. I think you should do the same thing too, Kona-chan."

Konata gulped and couldn't help but hear that Kagami called her by her nickname, something she never did. "But what about Hiyori and I? What about what we did for you?"

Inhaling a deep breath, Kagami bent down and wrapped her arms around Konata. She held her shorter friend tight and whispered. "Tell Hiyorin I said thank you. I appreciate all you've done for me and everything you did to stop the picture scandal. You've been a good friend, but I was a bad sister. Thanks again, Konata. I love you."

Konata continued to silently panic when Kagami released her and even kissed Konata on her forehead. When she withdrew, Kagami could see that Konata was on the verge of crying and the former twin-tailed girl knew she had to leave now. As she walked out of the restaurant, she didn't look back once. Kagami knew if she looked back and saw the look on Konata's face, she wouldn't be able to leave her as she too fought back her own tears.

When Kagami disappeared, Konata lowered her head again. Staring at her glass of water, her vision became murky as her eyes flooded and tears flowed down her cheek. She uttered, "I love you too, Kagami Hiiragi. I'll never stop, either."

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She was a mess at this point. Still struggling to hold her torn top together, Tsukasa wobbled through the empty streets as it began to slowly rain down on her. Her breath was visible in the orange glow of the streetlamps and her tears running down her frozen cheeks burned her. Tsukasa was at the very end of her sanity rope as she kept crying over her second nightmare. She was fortunate enough to escape this time, but she continued to feel old feelings. For some reason, she felt guilty over what she did to her would-be rapists by using the syringe as a weapon. Was this a good sign that she was feeling such emotions again? It was something the old Tsukasa would feel.

Distraught and freezing, Tsukasa had no idea how long she was wandering the streets. Over an hour had passed since she was nearly raped for a second time but she didn't know that, and she also didn't know where her legs were taking her as she continued to wobble and walk. As the rain continued to fall, the freezing temperatures on the ground began to turn it to ice and she nearly slipped a few times.

After nearly falling for a sixth time, she grabbed hold of a lamppost outside a house and she slowly looked up. Her heart once again pounded when she looked down the empty street and saw the familiar red Torii structure at the end of the road. She was almost home. Without even thinking, her legs began to take her towards her old house, but would she even be welcomed there? Why was she even going there? Her father made it clear that if he ever saw her again on his property, she would be hauled away by the police, but maybe that wouldn't be so bad. She had nowhere else to go so a jail cell actually seemed more appealing than going back to The Black Window.

When Tsukasa approached her house, she saw all the lights inside were off and the structure was dark. Nobody was home. Just her luck. That however didn't stop her from trying to find warmth in the sanctuary as she approached the back door and looked at a rock sitting in the garden. She prayed that what was underneath was still there and when she removed the freezing rock, Tsukasa nearly cried in joy when she saw the silver emergency key to the door sitting in the soil. Grabbing it quickly, Tsukasa quickly unlocked the back door and stepped out of the freezing rainstorm.

She felt yet another rollercoaster of emotions strike her mind and body as she heard voices in her head. She could hear her and Kagami's laughter as kids, the conversations she had with her mother, the lectures about doing better in school from her father, and the talks Inori and Matsuri had together. The warmth of the house's interior melted the icicles forming in Tsukasa's dirty black hair and began to drip onto the hardwood floor as she made her way further into the house.

Her body on autopilot again, Tsukasa wobbled up the stairs in the dark house and navigated to her bedroom and when she slid the door open, she felt cold again. Nevertheless, she walked inside her empty room and slowly opened her closet, looking at all the cute outfits she once dazzled everyone with. Feeling tears mount in her eyes again, she pushed them aside until she found the red and white patterned winter uniform from her old high school. She couldn't help but hug the top of it and smell the detergent aroma of the clothing that made her feel like she was back in the light.

She slowly took the uniform off its hanger and rested it neatly on her bed. Tsukasa felt relief when she dropped the torn black top off her body and let it fall to the floor. She remembered when she first bought that top from Yuka Miyakawa. The day she skipped school, changed her hair color, went to a rave, took her first drugs, had her first night of all female debauchery, and assaulted Kagami the next day. She never wanted to take things this far; Tsukasa just wanted the opportunity to become more assertive and get her space, even if it meant making her family resent her. It now proved to be a worthless idea.

Tsukasa fixed the school uniform over her torso and tried to warm herself with its long sleeves. Still trembling from the freezing cold, Tsukasa slowly walked downstairs again and found herself in the kitchen again and walked to the kitchen sink. Turning the faucet on and letting the water flow, she turned it as hot as it could go and when it was steaming, she placed her frozen hands under the stream and tried to warm them. It took awhile until she got the feeling back into her hands but when she did, she immediately turned the water off and stood in the quiet darkness.

She stood there for five minutes hovering over the sink with the silence of the rainy and cold night her only company, just like the night of her rape. When the long five minutes passed, she heard a noise behind her. It was the chatter of three women as they opened the front door and entered the house. Tsukasa recognized their voices instantly as belonging to Inori, Matsuri, and Miki. Still, she held her ground standing over the sink and staring out the window.

When the lights above her came on, Matsuri's scream shattered the silence, triggering Miki and Inori to rush in.

"What's going on?!" Inori cried as she rounded the corner and saw Matsuri standing facing towards the kitchen.

When Inori saw the entity in the kitchen, she too shrieked at first in fear but later in shock at who was in their home. Miki also came rushing in and when she saw Tsukasa standing over the sink and in her current physical condition, she was frightened.

"What the hell are you doing here, Tsukasa?! Do I have to throw you out myself?!" Matsuri yelled as she stepped forward but Inori grabbed her shoulder and held her back.

"Tsukasa…are you okay?" Inori asked as she slowly stepped forward. She knew something was wrong. Tsukasa's black skin-tight pants were still on her legs, but they were torn in certain areas and it was the fact that she was wearing her school uniform top that made them more surprised. Inori took a slight step towards her statue-like sister and added, "What happened to you, Tsukasa?"

Life suddenly struck Tsukasa's body and she slowly turned to face them, scaring her family even more. Her face was dirty with running mascara as a result of her tears, red marks were across her face, and her hair was stringy and filthy. Tsukasa looked like she was thrown into a mud puddle and given a quick once-over with a towel, spreading the dirt around. Her eyes were that of a terrified child as she opened her mouth.

Only whimpers emerged in a crying tone when she said, "Mommy…Inori…Matsuri…I don't want to be raped anymore."

_Oh god, it happened again_.

The thought exploded in all three of their minds as they slowly approached Tsukasa. With their hands stretched out, Tsukasa quickly panicked and squealed with fright and held her arms out as a shield. Miki suddenly remembered the diary's contents and quickly backed away, as did Inori and Matsuri. They gave her room to breathe as she hyperventilated and let more tears fall from her eyes and her knees continued to knock.

"Tsukasa, if you were raped again, we need to get you to the hospital now." Miki said in increasingly fruitless attempts to sound calm.

Tsukasa shook her head. "I…I wasn't…I wasn't…raped. I was able to escape."

The three women breathed blunt sighs of relief as Matsuri added, "Good girl, Tsukasa, you fought back, didn't you?"

Tsukasa nodded quickly.

"You're strong, Tsukasa. Stronger than a lot of women would be in that spot." Inori added.

Tsukasa, with her eyes still dripping water, quivered again. Her hands and wrists still dripping wet, she slowly hugged herself and struggled to keep her balance. "I give up. I don't want this anymore. I don't want to hurt anyone anymore."

Miki and her oldest daughters wanted to smile as they thought the nightmare was almost over for their family. The Hiiragi housewife took a step closer and said, "Let us help you, Tsukasa. We can call Dr. Hirukawa and enroll you in his program."

What came next took the Hiiragi's by surprise and it was established that their nightmare was still far from over. Hearing this made Tsukasa snap again and before any of them could bat an eyelash, Tsukasa lunged for a drawer, ripped it open, and grasped the largest kitchen knife. She quickly pulled it out and pointed it at her approaching family members freezing them in their spots. Tsukasa had no idea she was holding the same knife that Kagami once forced her to hold and urged her to kill her with.

"I'm not going anywhere! I don't trust him! He'll take me away and throw me in a room with other crazy people! They'll touch me! They'll rape me there too!" Tsukasa screeched, making the waterfalls under her eyes increase.

When they saw the knife, the Hiiragi women threw their hands up as if to surrender. They were scared now. What was going on in Tsukasa's mind? Was she about to rear her homicidal side again like in the pages of the diary? Was she planning on taking that knife to her wrists again? Or did she simply want to self-preserve and escape again?

"Tsukasa, please, put the knife down." Inori tried to remain calm. "We're your family and we just want to help."

Tsukasa shook her head violently as her grip on the knife trembled. "Just stay back!"

"Okay, okay, Tsukasa. We're all cool so let's just take it easy. What do you want us to do?" Matsuri asked, still with her hands up.

Hyperventilating, Tsukasa looked around as her paranoia was through the roof. "I need to get out of here! I need space! I can't breathe! Back up!"

The three functioning Hiiragi women began to move to their left and Tsukasa also moved to her left, they began to walk in a circle which would allow Tsukasa to go out the front door as she still pointed her knife at them. As this happened, Kagami finally arrived home after her short and disappointing meeting with Konata. Approaching the front door, she heard screaming inside and quickly poked her head around one of the windows and looked in. To her horror, Tsukasa had her back to her and gripped the familiar knife while the rest of her family was still trying to talk the youngest daughter off her cliff.

Kagami knew it was up to her to disarm Tsukasa and came up with an impulsive plan. It had a slim chance of success but she still had to try. Slowly entering through the front door, Kagami began to sneak up behind Tsukasa, her heart pounding in her chest with every step. Tsukasa still held the knife tightly as she continued to slowly walk backwards towards Kagami, still oblivious to her sister's presence.

"Tsukasa, please, don't keep doing this to yourself." Miki said with pain in her voice and suddenly noticed Kagami approach from behind Tsukasa in the darkness.

"I'm not going to that program!" Tsukasa yelled and suddenly, it happened.

Kagami shot out from behind Tsukasa and quickly grabbed her wrist holding the knife and it made Tsukasa explode. She thought her rapist had found her. She screamed and began to thrash with all her might as Inori, Matsuri, and Miki yelled at Kagami to watch the knife. Unfortunately, Kagami didn't know that Tsukasa's wrists were still soaking wet and the hand holding the knife slipped from Kagami's grip.

Tsukasa quickly spun and closed her eyes as she grabbed her attacker and hugged herself tight to Kagami's body. Silence. It followed as the two Hiiragi twins hugged each other and Tsukasa kept her eyes shut. When the sweet smell of a familiar shampoo entered Tsukasa's nose, she suddenly opened her eyes and shifted them to her attacker. Seeing her identical hairstyle forced her to slowly pull away and her heart sped up again when she saw a mortified expression on Kagami's face.

Kagami breathed slowly and looked her fraternal twin in the eyes and tears formed in hers. She opened her mouth and said, "Oh Tsukasa, look at what you've done to us. All we wanted to do was help you. Now look what you've done."

Confused, Tsukasa slowly looked down and saw she was still gripping the knife's handle. What she saw next made Tsukasa's life with Kagami flash before her eyes. Her panic hit new highs when she saw the entire blade of the knife had disappeared into Kagami's stomach and blood was slowly seeping out. Tsukasa had stabbed her own sister.

Letting go of the handle, Tsukasa took a step back and as tears formed in her eyes, she said, "Sis…I didn't…I tried not…you…please don't…"

To her surprise, Kagami smiled. The last thing Tsukasa heard from Kagami was, "At least I got to see you one last time."

With her single sentence complete, Kagami's pupils went wide and her eyes rolled into the back of her head. Losing control of her body, Kagami collapsed onto her back, the knife still stuck in her abdomen and leaking the red liquid of life.

"Kagami!" Inori, Matsuri, and Miki yelled together and they quickly stampeded and pushed Tsukasa aside and huddled around Kagami's lifeless and bleeding body on their knees.

"Inori, call an ambulance now!" Matsuri took control as Miki cried and kept calling Kagami's name.

Tsukasa stood above them trembling ferociously and another wave of fresh tears rolled down her cheeks as she stuttered. "I…I didn't mean to! It was an accident! Sis snuck up on me and—"

Miki's anger suddenly exploded. She erupted like a volcano as her pupils shortened and in an emotionally-driven rage, turned to Tsukasa and showed her the face of an angry animal. "Look at what you've done, Tsukasa! Look at what your behavior has done to us! Was bringing shame to your father and family not enough?! Are you not satisfied until we're all dead?! Well you just murdered your own sister! Kagami is dead! Get out of my house, you monster! I never want to see you again! _Get out now!_"

The order sank in and Tsukasa immediately fled the scene and began to run down the empty street again. It was still raining as the night wore on and she kept running, even when a screaming ambulance zipped past her towards her former home. Now what was she going to do? There was only one way out of this as far as Tsukasa could see it. Death. Tonight would be the night that Tsukasa planned to leave this world forever and put all the memories behind her.

As she continued to run in the darkness while crying over what she had done, she didn't know what was going on in the cyber network of the local police. The voices echoing across the radios all relayed the same message to every police car.

_ All units be advised…we have an APB for a 10-28, suspected murder. Suspect's name is Tsukasa Hiiragi. I repeat, suspect's name is Tsukasa Hiiragi, over._


	21. The Climax

CHAPTER 21

THE CLIMAX

The freezing rainstorm continued on this unusually quiet and haunting night as Yui Narumi sat in her police car tucked behind an advertisement billboard. She was once again on speed trap duty but her mind was far from catching speeders when she heard the name of the murder suspect over her radio.

_Tsukasa Hiiragi_.

She knew this girl. She knew her as a good friend of her cousin, Konata. She knew her as the sweet and innocent girl whom she had the pleasure of spending some time during the summer at the beach with. Finally, she also now knew her as the girl who became the poster child for the essence of family tragedy.

Yui shook her head with a shocked expression at the details coming over her radio. She could barely believe it when she heard the early reports stating that Tsukasa attacked Kagami and repeatedly stabbed her with a knife. There had to be more to the story or even a fog of war scenario. Even though Yui didn't know this girl as much as she did Minami-chan because of Yutaka, she was still a cop and knew how to read people. Yui knew that despite everything Tsukasa was put through since New Years, there was still no true violence in her and she didn't have it in her to be a murderer. In Yui's mind, the chances were higher that it was an accident and that's what she believed. More details emerged from the radio saying that it was a single stab wound now and that it was believed to have been accidental.

As she held a cup of steaming coffee in one hand, she saw a car approaching down the street and readied her radar gun. Holding it up, the car passed her at an appropriate speed as the digital numbers projected and she let it pass.

Taking a sip of her coffee, Yui heard the crackling static of her radio again. "Car Two-Five, come in, over."

Yui's ears perked up because she was Car Two-Five, making her pickup the radio and respond, "Car Two-Five here, come back, over."

"Car Two-Five you've been reassigned to Sector 8B. We've got a possible 10-15, suspicious person trespassing at the construction sites. A relief unit is en route now to take over the speed trap, over." The police station informed over the radio.

"Roger, Car Two-Five en route to Sector 8B at this time, out." Yui finished and put her car in gear and began to drive to the assigned area.

With the police car lights spinning and lighting the area, Yui sped to Saitama's Sector 8B. It was a new sector assigned on the police map because it was mostly all flattened land with construction sites everywhere where buildings were being birthed. None of them were finished yet and they were mostly hollowed structures towering over the prefecture.

It only took five minutes for Yui to reach the dark and desolate sight with the rain still falling down on this February night. The towering empty structures were haunting figures with their empty floors and wall-less sides. With every breath of sudden wind, the sounds of tarps snapping in the air made Yui stiffen as she exited her car and pulled out her flashlight.

She began to shine the light around the construction site and navigated her way under an eight story building past the concrete walls and metal support beams. Fighting the urge to shiver in the cold weather, Yui continued to walk and shine her light all across the bottom floor of the building. She suddenly heard something and quickly turned her light to her right and saw the top of a human head. It was covered with frozen black hair that was also littered with dirt and dust. What Yui also wasn't expecting was to hear the sounds of crying as she placed her other hand on her pistol sitting in her holster.

"Police! Standup and let me see your hands!" She commanded and readied herself for anything. Her police instinct told her that _anybody_ could suddenly stand with a weapon and use it, so she wasn't taking any chances.

The mysterious person slowly stood and to Yui's horror, the light of her flashlight met the dirty face of Tsukasa Hiiragi. Tsukasa's face was still covered with runny mascara, dirt, scratches, and her eyes were still throwing tears. She was wearing her school uniform's top and it too had scratches and tears on it. Dirt also stained it, probably from falling in the mud after slipping on the ice.

"Tsu…Tsukasa?!" Yui exclaimed and quickly moved her hand away from her firearm. "Oh my god, are you okay?!"

Tsukasa was too devastated to speak. All she could do was open her mouth and whimper and choke as she continued to cry. Yui could tell Tsukasa wanted to speak in the worst way but it was no use. Her relentless trembling told Yui that Tsukasa was nearing hyperthermia and she needed to be warmed immediately.

"Tsukasa, there isn't much time. You're wanted by the police, but I know something else happened between you and Kagami." Yui hastened her speech, making it nearly inaudible and she began to step forward. "Let me help you. Let me take you to a safe place and get you warmed up and—"

"Stay away!" Tsukasa finally found her voice and it screeched across the construction site as she swung her arm at Yui though they were more than twenty feet apart. "It's over! I murdered my own sister! Kagami's dead!"

Yui feared her radio transmissions weren't lying as she hoped they were, but still, she didn't see Tsukasa as the type to mercilessly slaughter her own sister. Nevertheless, Yui still had a job to do and she took another step forward. She wasn't going to follow the arrest of a suspect by the book this time though.

"I don't know the details of what happened, Tsukasa. But please, I still want to help you." Yui nearly whispered in a calm voice, hoping it would sooth Tsukasa. "Let me get you in a blanket and some hot food in you and we can just talk. No cuffs, no visits to the jail, none of that. Just you and me."

Tsukasa shook her head fiercely. "Let me die!"

In an instant, Tsukasa turned and began to run away. Naturally, Yui gave chase and followed the distraught young woman through the obstacles of the construction site and watched her climb up a staircase. Still giving chase, she continued to call Tsukasa's name and order her to stop and she tried to not let her make the situation worse as Tsukasa climbed up another story and kept going. She kept climbing and climbing and Yui continued to pursue until they reached the eighth floor, Tsukasa realized it was as high as she could go and she entered the desolate floor. Construction tools were scattered all across the concrete floor as the wind continued to blow through the wall-less building.

Tsukasa dashed to the furthest side of the level and neared the edge that overlooked all of Saitama in the distance. In the inky blanket of darkness ahead of her, Tsukasa could see the sparkling lights of the city she had lived in her whole life. It was like a Christmas lights show before her as she neared the edge of the eighth story and grasped a metal support pole. She shifted her eyes down and saw only darkness but knew sanctuary rested at the bottom if she jumped.

"Tsukasa, don't do it!" Yui's voice echoed across the high altitude and Tsukasa turned to face her as the policewoman slowly approached with her arm outstretched. "Please, don't. Think about your mother and father. Think about your other sisters."

"Stop! I swear to god I'll do it! I'll jump!" Tsukasa screeched again, freezing Yui.

Seeing that Tsukasa now had nothing left to lose, it wouldn't take much for her to let go of that metal pole and plunge eight stories to her death. With slow movements, Yui moved her mouth closer to the radio clipped to her uniform and whispered, "Car Two-Five here, I'm going to need some backup, over."

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Once again, the Hiiragi family minus Tadao crashed through the iron doors of the local hospital's ambulance loading bay. The paramedics rushed Kagami in on a gurney, the knife still lodged in her stomach and dripping blood. They were able to revive Kagami but knew they couldn't remove the knife from her abdomen in her current state or without the proper medical equipment. Still, the oldest Hiiragi twin was weak and could flat-line again at any second as the medics continued to rush.

Miki and her remaining two daughters tried to keep up as they panted. This was an all too familiar scene for Miki since it brought back memories of Tsukasa's slashed wrist but now, Kagami was at a severe disadvantage unlike Tsukasa.

"She's lost a lot of blood! Are you sure none of you are a match?!" One of the paramedics exclaimed and monitored Kagami's eye movements to make sure she was still responsive.

Miki nodded with teary remorse. "I'm sure! It's our other daughter who has Type-B blood and we don't know where she is!"

The paramedic's look of dread began to frighten Miki and her oldest daughters as they made it into the hospital and Miki looked around and saw a familiar face. She called, "Dr. Hirukawa!"

Hearing his name, the older man with the white hair turned while talking to a nurse and saw the dire situation. Seeing the gurney accompanied by Miki and her other daughters, he could only think of one Hiiragi name that rested on it and immediately rushed to help. Anyone could imagine his surprise when he arrived and saw Kagami resting on it dripping blood on the white sheets and with a large kitchen knife nestled deep just above her belly button.

"What happened here?!" He exclaimed as the paramedics steered the gurney towards the operating room.

"Tsukasa!" Inori and Matsuri yelled together in tears.

Dr. Hirukawa sighed with deep regret and had a sinking feeling that before the night was over, he would see Tsukasa being rolled into his hospital as well. He only feared that she would arrive in a body bag. What could be going on in her head? Dr. Hirukawa didn't know the details of why Kagami had a kitchen knife sticking out of her, but hoped that for everyone's sake that it was an accident.

"Mama…" a faint voice whispered.

It grabbed everyone's attention and they looked towards the gurney. Seeing Kagami's mouth move brought waves of relief to everyone and Miki quickly grabbed her wounded daughter's hand and held it tight.

"I'm here, baby, I'm here." She whispered with tears in her eyes.

Kagami's grip on her mother's hand was weak and she looked dead already. She had lost a lot of blood and looked as if she could leave them again. Still, Kagami uttered, "Tsu…ka…sa…where?"

"Don't worry about that, Kagami." Miki whispered. "Just rest and let Dr. Hirukawa take care of you."

Kagami slowly shook her head. "Mama…find her…help her…save her."

"Kagami…look what she did to you." Miki whispered back.

Again, Kagami held her weak ground. "For me…please…for me."

Before Miki could respond, Kagami's eyelids closed and she went limp. Dr. Hirukawa quickly checked her pulse and replied, "Don't worry, she's still with us. She just passed out but we need to operate now."

Miki nodded and released her daughter's icy hand and allowed Dr. Hirukawa and the paramedics to continue to the operating room. When they disappeared behind the massive swinging doors off limits to them, Miki felt the embrace of Inori and Matsuri. They played their roles as loyal daughters and escorted their mother to the waiting room while Matsuri made the phone call to their father's cell phone of where to find them.

"I can't believe it…Kagami still wants us to find Tsukasa for her. After she tried to kill her." Miki said, still with trembling anger in her voice.

Inori shook her head. "It was an accident, mom. Tsukasa said she was nearly raped again and when Kagami snuck up on her, she thought the bastard found her. She was scared and she thought she was defending herself."

Miki remained silent. "If Kagami dies, all that's left of me will die with her. I thought I knew Tsukasa. She was my baby. She was, in a way, my best friend. But what Tsukasa did…it reminded me of myself."

Inori turned her head. "Mom?"

"There are things about me, Inori. Things I could never tell you. Things about…my past." Miki choked. "When Tsukasa was raped, I felt I connected with her more than anyone because I know what it's like to be a victim. Everything that has happened here is my fault."

"Wh…what are you saying, mom?" Inori asked as she cupped her hand over her mouth.

"I saw Tsukasa's destructive patterns since day one and I could've stopped it…if I listened to your father. I just didn't want Tsukasa to slip into that kind of darkness because I know what it's like and I thought that if I put Tsukasa away, I would be no better than my mother; abandoning her daughter in her time of need. That's why I fought your father every step of the way." Miki spilled her heart. "I stooped to such low and atrocious levels. I stole from homeless children…and I even said I had no regrets about it. I'm sorry, Inori. I failed you and your sisters as a mother."

Inori wasted no time in holding her mother. "Don't say such things, mom. You didn't fail us, but we all made mistakes. We all should share some blame in what happened to Tsukasa. I read her diary, too."

Hearing the reference to the book made Miki cringe. The first entry was going to haunt every corner of her mind for many years. The grisly details of Tsukasa's rape only made Miki want to vomit again as Matsuri took a seat next to them. They sat together for five more minutes until Tadao suddenly burst into the waiting room, making Miki shoot up like a rocket and she ran to him. The two troubled spouses embraced each other tenderly for others to watch as Miki continued to cry until she pulled away and took her husband into the hallway.

"I'm so sorry I didn't listen to you, Tadao!" Miki exclaimed as she cried while holding her husband's hands. "I never wanted any of this to happen and I can't even begin to apologize for stealing from the charity! You were right when you said Tsukasa is a basket case like me because it's true! I should've listened to you! Kagami would still be with us! Oh god, I became my own mother! I left Tsukasa to fend for herself out there and I didn't help her!"

Even though he had gloating rights, Tadao showed his true nature and instead of showing how right he was, he hugged his wife tighter. As Miki cried in his chest, he simply said, "Please take me back, Miki."

The request ceased Miki's tantrum and she looked up at her husband with her watery eyes. "What did you say?"

"I said please take me back. I still love you and I'll always love you. What you did was wrong but I don't want to leave you or the girls. Whatever has happened or will happen from here on out, I don't want to face it alone." Tadao said, now crying himself. "Please don't divorce me, Miki Hiiragi."

Miki dried her tears and formed a smile on her face. She lifted herself up and kissed her husband, who pulled her tighter and deepened the kiss. Inori and Matsuri watched with affectionate eyes and looked at each other and smiled. There still was at least one silver lining in this awful mess.

Too bad the beautiful sight between Miki and Tadao couldn't last longer. Two policemen entered the hospital and quickly approached the reconciling couple and cut their revelations short. They listened as Tadao still held his wife close.

"Hiiragi-san, we found your daughter, Tsukasa." One of the policemen said.

Tadao gulped, fearing that he would tell him that they found her "body" somewhere, especially after what Matsuri described happened on the phone.

"She's currently at the top of an eight story building and is threatening to jump." The second policeman said. "We need you to come with us now."

Despite everything that has happened, Miki wasted no time throwing herself into the new situation. She had reconciled with her husband and she knew that Kagami was safe in Dr. Hirukawa's care. They still had a chance to save Tsukasa and walk away from this horror storm as they were given immediate rides in the police cars to the unfolding scene.

Inside the operating room, a team of doctors headed by Hirukawa continued to work on Kagami. They had successfully removed the knife but they weren't out of the woods yet. Tsukasa used a lot of force in her panic and lodged it so deep, the tip of the blade penetrated Kagami's stomach and they had to worry about internal bleeding.

Looking down at the unconscious Kagami Hiiragi, Dr. Hirukawa couldn't help but smile and he removed one of his gloves to place his hand on her head. He remembered the day he helped Miki give birth to the oldest Hiiragi twin. As he said before, it was love at first sight for not only Tsukasa, but also for Kagami when he first held them. He remembered how attentive Kagami was for a baby and wanted to investigate every part of him as he held her. She even managed to steal one of his pens from its protector and chew on it. He saw her and the always shy Tsukasa when they were children during their checkups and it never ceased to amaze him how close they were. Releasing an internal sigh, Hirukawa shook his head slowly at this situation.

"Doctor, she's hemorrhaging!" One of the nurses cried, snapping Hirukawa out of his nostalgia, which was also followed by the incessant beeps and alarms of the medical equipment telling them something was wrong.

"Where's the bleed?!" Hirukawa exclaimed in his older voice with a wheeze as he slipped another latex glove on.

"Her stomach, just as we feared!" The nurse replied. "We need to cut her open and drain the blood!"

As the surgeons moved in with their tools, the worst happened. Kagami's heart rate flat-lined again and it became a whole new ballgame. The defibrillator was rolled over to Kagami's body and it was charged as the doctor responsible for its function readied it.

"Clear!" He yelled.

He released the powerful shocks of the electrodes into Kagami's body, triggering a slight jump in the heart rate monitor but it once again flat-lined.

"No good! Again! Charging, clear!" The doctor coordinated the process and once again delivered more shocks into Kagami's system.

Still nothing.

"One more try!" He yelled and readied the electrodes. "Clear!"

Everyone held their breath when Kagami's body bounced up for a third time and their eyes turned to the monitor. The beeping continued and to their distraught, the line was still red and flat on the screen. Silence settled upon the group of doctors until one of them rolled up his sleeve.

Looking at his watch, he announced, "I'm calling it. Time of death…9:27 pm."

As the doctors around him began to take off their gloves and masks, Hirukawa looked down at the now deceased Kagami Hiiragi, her face as pale as a ghost and yet she was still a beautiful young woman, even in her death. His anger burned and his frustration with his fellow doctors peaked as he watched them simply give up on her, but they didn't know her like he did. He suddenly announced, "No, this isn't going to end like this! Not for this girl!"

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

The rain and wind continued mercilessly around them as Tsukasa stood frozen at the edge of the building, still gripping the pole. The once tranquil darkness that rested eight stories below Tsukasa's feet was now illuminated by a sea of flashing red and blue police car lights. She shifted her eyes up and saw five police cars and a crowd was beginning to gather as the officers did their best to keep them back.

"I just got off the radio with my supervisor, Tsukasa. Your parents are on their way!" Yui called to Tsukasa from her safe distance.

Her hand beginning to freeze to the pole, Tsukasa only cringed at the thought. "Did…they…say…anything about…sis?"

"All they told me is that Kagami is in the operating room now! She made it to the hospital and is being taken care of right now so what do you say we go back down and wait for your parents?" Yui kept trying to talk the youngest Hiiragi daughter away from her suicide.

Tsukasa slowly turned away again and more icicles fell from her dirty hair. She closed her eyes and listened to the activity continuing to manifest below her and tried to think of a single reason not to jump. So far it was proving to be a losing battle. Tsukasa was expelled from school, she had indulged herself in such sinful behavior, she alienated herself from her family, the memories of the Kagura-den going up in flames by her hands haunted her mind, and she believed that she murdered her own sister.

"Look, Tsukasa, I can tell you're freezing over there!" Yui called over the howling winds. "If you won't come over at least let me bring you something hot to drink!"

Still, Tsukasa shook her head as another tear ran down her frozen cheek, making steam rise from it. "Please, stop being so nice to me! I don't deserve it! I deserve to die!"

"Don't say such horrible things, Tsukasa!" Yui yelled back and suddenly, more police officers arrived at the eighth story floor with her.

"What's the report, Narumi?" One of them asked.

Yui turned back and shook her head. "I can't get her to come back from the edge. She's really lost it, now. What's the story on her sister?"

"I know the same things you know, Narumi. She's being operated on as we speak; that's all we've got." He replied and removed his hat to wipe the stress-induced sweat from his head.

Yui turned her head back to Tsukasa and saw her still standing and shivering while gripping the pole. "If only we could prove to her that Kagami is okay, then we could probably get her to come down."

Another policeman slowly shook his head. "That could be a long shot. From what we've heard from the doctors, the girl was in critical condition when she arrived at the hospital. For all we know she could've passed by now."

Yui immediately shushed him for fear of Tsukasa hearing them and quickly turned back to her. She was still looking away from them and down at the growing mass eight stories below them. Turning back to her fellow officers, she added, "We can't let that slip to Tsukasa. Even if Kagami dies, we need to tell her she's okay. If not, Tsukasa won't hesitate for a single second to jump."

The officers left Yui alone once again to try keep talking to the broken girl. Yui was the only cop that Tsukasa knew and she needed her to be there over some stranger with a badge. The rest of the police meanwhile arrived back down at the bottom level and disappeared into the mosh, where a news team had arrived. Trying to capitalize on the developing story of a Miko's upcoming demise, the camera crew was pushed back by the police as two more patrol cars zipped around the corner and joined the circus.

Before the lead car could stop, the back doors flew open and Miki shot out of the back and she charged into the crowd to the building. Her husband was right behind her as the second car stopped and Inori and Matsuri quickly joined their parents in trying to save their youngest family member. Their hearts leaped into their throats when they saw Tsukasa standing at the top of the building, one step further would send her over the edge and eight stories down.

When they were able to identify themselves as Tsukasa's family, a policeman passed a bullhorn to Miki and allowed her to use it as the rain continued to fall on them. Her amplified voice called, "Tsukasa, its mother! Please come down and let us help you!"

Hearing the familiar voice made Tsukasa slowly open her eyes and shift them to the tone's location. She could barely see her family in the dark and rainy weather as her energy was nearly depleted. Her grip on the pole was beginning to loosen as she leaned closer to the edge and hyperthermia began to set in. Tsukasa tried to vocalize herself and respond to her mother's words but her trembling body and cooling temperature wouldn't allow her.

Inori and Matsuri demanded to be taken to the top floor so they could try their hands at bringing Tsukasa back down. The police were reluctant at first but soon concluded it would be better for the distraught Miko to see her older sisters and they could reassure her that Kagami was okay, at least that's what they hoped for.

When they arrived at the top of the building, they saw Yui holding her ground a good distance from Tsukasa until their approach caught her attention. Yui turned and asked, "Are you two the sisters?"

Inori and Matsuri quickly nodded.

"I've been at it since this began nearly an hour ago, but I couldn't get her to budge. Do your best, girls." Yui commended and allowed them to approach her sister.

The oldest Hiiragi daughters slowly approached their baby sister and when their movements caught her attention, she looked at them and showed her grotesque appearance, a serious step down from her usual plain but still charming and even, in her own way, beautiful appearance. It made them both sick to see their sister like this but they still believed they could save her and took assurance in the fact that Kagami was in Dr. Hirukawa's care.

Inori opened the dialogue by saying, "We're so glad we found you, Tsukasa. We've been worried sick."

"Kagami, too." Matsuri couldn't restrain herself and wanted to bring this crisis to a swift end.

Hearing the name shot a new burst of life into Tsukasa's body. "Sis…sis is…alive?"

Matsuri quickly nodded while Inori remained reserved. "Kagami was awake and talking to us before we came here. She wanted us to find you and take you home so let's get down from here and go see her."

More fresh tears flowed from Tsukasa's eyes. "I'm so sorry…Matsuri. And Inori. I never wanted to take things this far. I never wanted to hurt anybody."

Inori nodded and stepped forward. "We know, Tsukasa, we know. It's been a long month for all of us, but it's never too late to make a fresh start. Listen to Matsuri and let's get down from here."

Sniffling, Tsukasa slowly began to uproot her frozen legs from her spot near the edge of the eighth floor. She had been standing there for so long that the rain had frozen around her boots and crackled and broke as she lifted them. It seemed to be over at long last until Tsukasa turned one last time and looked at the crowd below her and saw a policeman talking to her parents. He had removed his hat despite the rain to deliver the message and it was Miki's reaction that gave it away. She quickly covered her hand over her mouth, turned to Tadao, and collapsed into his chest and began to scream and cry. It could only mean one thing.

_Kagami is dead_.

Seeing her mother's meltdown and her father also in tears made Tsukasa take a closer step towards the edge of the floor. Inori and Matsuri saw this and began to panic while Matsuri said, "Tsukasa, wait, don't!"

Tsukasa froze again and simply said, "I want a bullhorn."

It was a confusing request but regardless, Yui wasted no time in acquiring one for her and to make sure she didn't jump, she slid it across the wet concrete floor over to her and Tsukasa grabbed it with her icy fingers. She brought it to her mouth and made an announcement for the whole area to hear in the midst of the falling rain.

"My name is Tsukasa Hiiragi…and one month ago, I was raped. I was raped by four criminals at the same time and it turned me into something I am not. It made me angry, paranoid, fearful, and worst of all, I took it out on my family. My family loves me more than anything in the entire world and was willing to move mountains to make me happy again, but I wasn't a good daughter to them. In my senseless aggression and violence, I did horrible things that I regret so much. I burned down my family's shrine where I was raped in." Tsukasa spilled her heart for the world to hear and all eyes and ears across Saitama were on her. "I assaulted my friends and my family members when all they wanted to do was help me. I condemned myself to a life of senseless drug and sex abuse while trying to prove a stupid point that I could handle whatever horrible twist life could throw at me. It only made me crazier and I was so selfish to drag my entire family into it. I cost my father and my mother their marriage and I drove a wedge between me and my beloved fraternal twin sister, Kagami Hiiragi, who I loved with all my heart. Now…she's gone."

Hearing this made Inori and Matsuri exchange looks with each other. Was she right? Did Kagami truly leave this world?

"I stand before you all today to say I'm sorry. I'm sorry for all I've done. I'm sorry to my mother, Miki Hiiragi. I'm sorry to my father, Tadao Hiiragi, and my older sisters, Inori and Matsuri Hiiragi. I love you all so much…" Tsukasa stopped momentarily and began to cry again. The next part of her speech was nearly inaudible through her weeping speech. "I brought nothing but pain and shame to everyone who knows my name, and to all of them, I too am profoundly sorry for everything I've done to you. I hope this last act I do in this life will be seen as unselfish and if I could trade it for Kagami, I would do it. Please forgive me!"

Matsuri made a mad dash for her sister but Tsukasa anticipated her movements and quickly spun and tossed the bullhorn towards her. Because of her human reflexes, Matsuri instinctively blocked the object from hitting her face and she saw her sister let go of the pole and with a blank look on her face, she began to lean back into gravity's clutches.

With one final dive, Matsuri outstretched her arm and tried to grab her little sister's uniform top as it began to waft in the breeze and her fingertips grazed the scarf at the front. That was the last thing she could touch of her sister as she fell out of reach and shrunk into the darkness and showed a small smile. It was sincere and peaceful.

Speechless, everyone at Sector 8B watched the distraught former Miko fall from the top of the eighth story building and gain speed as she approached the ground. In only three seconds, a violent crash sounded across Saitama when Tsukasa landed on a pile of wooden planks and the rain continued to patter across the land, bringing silence after the crash.

When Tsukasa landed with the violent bang on the construction equipment, all who still loved her screamed her name when they saw it either in person or on the news. Her name echoed all across Saitama that night.

**A/N: TWO CHAPTERS LEFT AND I'M GOING TO TRY AND UPLOAD THEM ON THE SAME DAY SO IT'LL TAKE LONGER TO UPDATE. BASED ON REVIEWS AND PM'S, I STILL DON'T THINK ANYBODY KNOWS WHAT'S COMING SO STICK WITH IT! **


	22. The Third Strike

CHAPTER 22

THE THIRD STRIKE

No pain. That's what Tsukasa liked the most about this new darkness she now basked in. That and the fact that the cold was gone. She felt at peace but expected to see the flames of the underworld at any second. It didn't matter to her at this point. She believed she deserved eternal damnation for all she had put her family through, especially regarding the fact that she murdered Kagami. Tsukasa felt different, though. Her mind felt like a blank slate after her rape, but now, so did her body. The youngest Hiiragi daughter placed her hand over her chest and tried to feel a heartbeat. Silence was the only thing that emerged from her chest and she began to conclude that she didn't survive that fall.

Tsukasa continued to stand in a world of darkness and she had no idea how much time had passed since she threw herself off the top of the eight story building. What Tsukasa didn't know as she continued to stare into the dark abyss all around her was that she was in a place where time had no jurisdiction. One minute in this new place might as well have been one year on Earth or even longer. It could've even been the other way around. Was this her punishment? To spend all of eternity in a dark world where there was no concept of time and to be driven mad by such an existence? It seemed to fit perfectly in Tsukasa's mind. She drove her family to insanity and now she would be forced to stay here until she too succumbed to further lunacy.

However, that wasn't fate's plan for Tsukasa. As she looked forward into the inky world, she suddenly felt warmth behind her. It was followed by a glowing wave of colors behind her and she slowly turned. She didn't expect to see an endless field of wildflowers sitting and glowing in the blackness. The flowers ranged in color from white, pink, and purple. When she saw the flowers ahead of her, the chirping of crickets suddenly erupted all around her, slightly startling her as she slowly walked towards the field.

As she graced the field of flowers, Tsukasa felt the serene tranquility of her surroundings. She breathed in a large breath and exhaled it bluntly as she sat down in the flowers and hugged her legs to her chest while resting her head on her knees. "Is this it? Am I here for all eternity? Well…better here than with my family."

Sitting alone, a sudden whoosh of wind made the flowers dance. It continued to blow until it finally subsided after a few seconds and Tsukasa still felt alone and depressed. Suddenly a female's voice next to her said, "I don't think I agree with that, Tsukasa."

Tsukasa slowly lifted her head and turned it towards the voice. She wasn't expecting to see another human standing only inches away from her and in a glowing white dress. What caught her attention the most was the woman's long, wafting blue hair as Tsukasa lifted her eyes upwards but they didn't have to travel far until they were met with peaceful pools of green. This woman looked very familiar as Tsukasa lifted her head and examined her. Dressed in a white dress with blue hair and green eyes with pale skin and a very charming smile, Tsukasa slowly shifted herself onto her knees and looked at the stranger.

"…Kona-chan?" She asked.

The woman's beautiful smile deepened and she replied, "Guess again, dear."

"Then does that mean that you're…that you're…Kona-chan's mommy?" Tsukasa asked.

The green-eyed woman closed her eyes and giggled. "That's right. Kanata Izumi. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Tsukasa Hiiragi."

Tsukasa quickly looked around once again. "Then…does this mean that I'm…that I'm…"

"Yes, sweetheart. You are dead." Kanata said, keeping her hands folded across her navel. "You can't jump from an eight story building and live to tell the tale, dear."

Tsukasa's reaction was less than devastated as she looked around. She sighed and added, "Good. I think that's for the best."

Kanata's smile faded. "Why would you say that, dear? Your family is devastated right now."

"Because I screwed everything up. Sis was right when she confronted me at The Black Window and said that I blame myself for being raped in my father's shrine." Tsukasa felt more crying coming. "I felt that I let him down by doing such perverted things in such a holy building and because of it, I wanted to be more assertive and even more aggressive. I thought my family constantly believing that they knew what was best for me was preventing me from becoming stronger and I began to see them as my enemies. I'm so sick."

Tsukasa covered her face and began to cry again. She cried relentlessly. This was the most she had cried since this ordeal began as Tsukasa had finally seen everything she had done to not only herself, but to all the ones she loved. All of these emotions made Tsukasa even more pleased with the fact that she was now dead.

Kanata slowly placed her petite hand on Tsukasa's shoulder. "You're not sick, Tsukasa. Remember what Dr. Hirukawa told you about the three strikes?"

Tsukasa dried her eyes and nodded with a whimper. "I do. This is my third strike. I'm just thankful I'm out."

Kanata's beautiful smile returned. "If that was true Tsukasa, then I wouldn't be here."

Tsukasa slowly looked up.

"I'm here to take you on a little journey and hopefully it'll be familiar to you. It should be…because it's your life." Kanata said and took both Tsukasa's hands with hers and stood the defeated Hiiragi girl up. Tsukasa blushed when she suddenly towered over Kanata as they stood, hands joined, in the field of flowers.

A massive burst of wind tore through the tranquil field and the black sky above them began to brighten, hurting Tsukasa's eyes until it engulfed both of them in white. Everything went silent again until Tsukasa could hear the sound of a baby crying. She slowly opened her eyes and gazed at the sky, which now seemed to be one giant screen and saw her mother in a hospital bed holding two baby girls and she knew what she was looking at.

"Is that mom and Kagami…and me?" Tsukasa's voice wheezed as she still held Kanata's hands.

Kanata smiled again and giggled. "It is. You were such a cute baby, Tsukasa. Kagami, too. I wanted you to see this so you could see your mother."

Tsukasa shifted her eyes to her mother's happy face.

"I'm sure you've seen that same picture in your family photo album many times, but a picture can only go so far. A picture cannot allow its viewer to _feel_ every single emotion within its pixels. Sometimes, you just need to be there." Kanata said. "Can you feel your mother's soul, Tsukasa?"

Tsukasa slowly released Kanata's small hands and looked up at the sky. She found she had the ability to peer into her mother's soul and feel what she felt when she held the newborn twins. Never in her entire life did Tsukasa expect to feel such a rush of overjoyed emotions. She felt warm and tender on the inside and felt like crying again, but this time for happiness while she watched her mother kiss both of the twins' heads.

"I remember I felt the same way when my daughter was born." Kanata said with her smile. "But I still need to show you a few more things."

The moving image of Miki in the sky suddenly went white again and a cyclone effect of thousands of colors swirled in the sky. When they faded, Tsukasa watched a new memory unfold and to her surprise, it showed Tsukasa at five-years-old and Kagami was sitting on the floor of their bedroom. She remembered when they were little, they shared a bedroom and a bed until more room was made for them in their house but it was the memory that Tsukasa was focused on. Kagami was drying her teary eyes as Tsukasa put a band-aid on Kagami's scraped knee. She then followed it up with another kiss on the wound.

"This…this is when I…" Tsukasa began.

"When you stood up to those bullies for your sister." Kanata finished for her. "This was an important day for Kagami. Kagami always had a tough personality since her birth, but this day taught her that she can't win _every_ single battle in life on her own. You taught her that, Tsukasa. Even though she never showed it, not a day went by ever since that Kagami didn't remember this incident and she always used it as a memory to stay strong so that you wouldn't have to."

Tsukasa turned to Kanata in the world of white. "Why are you showing me all of this?"

"Patience, my dear. Patience." Kanata replied quickly, as if she was expecting the question. "Now…do you remember _this_ day?"

The image in the sky once again disappeared and instead of a cyclone effect, a barrage of aurora-like lights filled the black sky, also of different colors until they came together and formed another image. To Tsukasa's surprise, she saw herself and Kagami playing pat-a-cake on their first day of school, Tsukasa wearing her yellow ribbon for the first time.

"Why am I seeing this?" Tsukasa asked as she turned back to Kanata, feeling emotional every time she saw her deceased older sister.

Kanata held her smile and glanced back up at the colorful sky. "That's why."

Tsukasa quickly turned back and saw a new girl with long pink hair and large glasses walk over to them nervously. Tsukasa's eyes went big as she watched the memory replay above her.

"Excuse me, I'm so sorry to bother you, but it appears the teacher is saying it is time for arts and crafts and we need to be in teams of three." The pink-haired girl said submissively and with clear fright in her voice. "Would it be okay if I could join you two?"

The younger Kagami and Tsukasa looked at each other and agreed with innocent smiles to let her in and Kagami stood. "My name is Kagami and this is my sister, Tsukasa."

The pink-haired girl bowed and nearly made her large glasses fall off in the process. "It's so very nice to meet you. My name is Miyuki Takara."

Watching this memory made Tsukasa shake her head and turn back to Kanata. "No, no, no. This…this is all wrong. I never met Miyuki that long ago. I met her in high school along with Kona-chan."

Kanata's smile still held firm. "Are you sure, dear?"

Tsukasa searched her memory but could only squeeze out one thing. "Well, I do remember meeting a new friend that day and that she complimented my ribbon like mom said they would, but it couldn't have been Miyuki."

Kanata looked back at the screen, making Tsukasa also turn back and look at the sky. She saw the three of them playing together with their finger-painting project and Tsukasa and Miyuki were very close to each other while laughing together. Miyuki looked so scared only a few seconds ago but why the sudden change?

"You met Miyuki Takara on the first day of school and you changed the young girl's life that day. Miyuki was in the same spot you were, Tsukasa. She didn't want to go to school either and fought her mother about going." Kanata explained as she watched the hypnotized Tsukasa observe the screen. "She was bullied because of her long hair and big glasses in the morning and was very nervous about making friends and it was your kindness that built her back up. You were also very impressed with the amount of knowledge she had and that, along with Miyuki's unique relationship with her mother, kept Miyuki's interest in education alive."

Tsukasa continued to try and remember. "I remember that little girl…and that we were friends for only a week until she…disappeared and I never saw her again."

"Miyuki was taken out of the school and put in a private one by her parents when her father's international shipping corporation became a success." Kanata finished. "You and Kagami forgot about her and she forgot about you and when you met each other again in high school, it might as well have been for the first time."

Speechless and a blank expression on Tsukasa's face, the sky once again turned white until more colors gathered in the sky and when they parted, Tsukasa nearly collapsed to her knees when she saw herself at a young age and dressed in her first Miko outfit. Tears rushed to her eyes when she saw she was slow dancing with her father in the Kagura-den.

"Do you remember this particular Christmas, Tsukasa?" Kanata asked.

Tsukasa nodded. "I do. Why must you haunt me with these memories?"

"All good things come to those who wait," Kanata giggled and watched the memory. "It was this Christmas where your father had such high hopes for you. He taught you the history of your family's shrine and its culture and you became so fascinated with it. I believe it was at this one particular point where you wanted to stay at the shrine forever and serve as a Miko."

Tsukasa lowered her head and released her tears. "It was. Everything to me was beautiful when I was that age, but that shrine was the best part of my childhood. So many memories of playing with my sisters and spending time with dad. It was the best. But why am I seeing this?"

"Your father didn't want you to grow up when you two danced. He wanted you to stay his innocent little girl forever, which you promised you would do." Kanata said, making Tsukasa cringe. "But…you can't read minds or feel souls as a human…and that's where I came in."

Tsukasa turned to Kanata.

"Your father wanted more for you. He didn't want you to stay behind and work on the shrine forever." Kanata said. "He wanted you to live your life and do something big with it, but he never said anything because he knew that was your decision to make. It was your innocence as a child that made him want you to leave because he knew that someone who could only see the good in people and the world was a rare and valuable thing. You are a gift to the world, Tsukasa Hiiragi. It's just too bad it had to end like this."

Tsukasa couldn't take it anymore. She collapsed to her knees and resumed her loud crying as Kanata watched and the memory faded and the word around them once again turned back. The world was now dark again as Kanata stepped forward and stood above Tsukasa. Tsukasa lifted her face and showed the watery mess in her eyes.

"But look at me! I'm not innocent and I'm not pure anymore! I was raped and then…then I did all this to myself and my family!" Tsukasa cried. "What kind of gift to the world would do this?! What kind of innocent girl would indulge herself in a frenzy of sex and drugs?!"

When Kanata kept her smile, Tsukasa thought she was mocking her. That was until Kanata said, "You may have a point, Tsukasa, but just because you made a few mistakes doesn't mean you're not the same person. I've been watching over you since that tragic night and I always knew that deep inside you, you still were that pure and innocent girl that could still only see the good in the world. You may have been able to fool your friends and family into thinking that you're something you're not, but you can never slip anything past us. Your family now knows that you're back to your old self after your apology. I think they want to go back to the way things were when this memory was taken."

Tsukasa saw the sky light up again through her fingers covering her face and slowly turned her head back upward. It was too much for her when she saw the still image of her and Kagami standing with their parents in front of their high school while cherry blossom petals fell around them and everyone had a smile on their faces. It was a copy of the picture Tsukasa smashed during her meltdown at the dinner table that started this whole chain of hell.

"Please…tell me why…why…why I had to see these memories again!" Tsukasa cried and shielded her eyes from the image.

Kanata still kept her smile. "You're here because I wanted to show you only a sliver of how many lives you touched on Earth, Tsukasa. You are the kindest, gentlest, and most accepting of all your friends in your group and to find someone like you in a world like Earth that is plagued with such horrors like war, famine, disease, poverty, and starvation, you are a gem among pebbles. I wanted to make sure you had one final chance at redemption. So, as Dr. Hirukawa once said, you have a choice to make, Tsukasa. I can see how sincere you are in your regret, and for that, you have the chance to go back to Earth and redeem everything. Life or death Tsukasa…which will it be?"

Tsukasa dried her eyes and slowly stood. "Death."

Kanata tilted her head. "And why is that, Tsukasa?"

"Because if I go back…I'll have to live in a world without sis. Kagami was my everything. She was my idol, she was my hero, she was my friend, she was…my sister." Tsukasa sniffled. "And now…she's dead. Because of me. Life without sis is a life not worth having, no matter how much I'll be missed."

Kanata watched Tsukasa fall to her knees and once again continue crying. The deceased blue-haired woman slowly bent down to her knees and lifted Tsukasa's head up by placing her hand under the crying girl's chin. It stopped Tsukasa's crying as Kanata caught another tear falling from Tsukasa's eyes and the deceased woman slowly moved her hand down to Tsukasa's chest. She flattened her palm just above her left breast.

Suddenly, Tsukasa felt something incredible pulse into her body. It had a rhythmic beat to it and she knew only one thing made this kind of beat. Tsukasa placed her hand over Kanata's on her chest and could feel a heart beating at a normal rate.

"Is…is this my…heart beating?" Tsukasa asked.

Kanata smiled again. "No, Tsukasa, it's not yours. It's Kagami's…on Earth."

Tsukasa's wet eyes went big. "Then…does this mean that…?!"

"Kagami lives, dear." Kanata finished for her. "Dr. Hirukawa saved her life in the operating room. You're not the only person with Type-B blood, you know."

A strange and misshaped smile formed across Tsukasa's face as she slumped further into the dark ground and cried louder. She praised her family's name and all their members, Dr. Hirukawa, and the gods themselves. When Tsukasa's emotional revelation drained her of her energy, she slowly looked back up to see Kanata standing above her again.

"So, Tsukasa, now that you know all of that, I will ask one final time." Kanata said, still with her smile and her hands folded across her navel. "Life or death, Tsukasa. What do you desire?"

Tsukasa dried her tears yet again and slowly lifted herself up and Kanata collected the young girl's hands. She sniffled and choked again and whispered, "I want to live. I want to spend the rest of my life making it up to not only sis, but also to my family and friends. I want to live for them and make all of them proud. That's a promise. Please, Kanata-sempai, send me home."

Kanata's smile deepened and when she closed her eyes and tilted her head, the black sky above them suddenly turned white and another massive whoosh of wind tore through the once dark world. As the chaos continued and everything began to fade to white, Kanata took Tsukasa's hands and pulled the Hiiragi girl down to her level. Kanata placed a small kiss on Tsukasa's forehead and the Hiiragi girl could suddenly hear Kanata's thoughts as she said, "Good choice, Tsukasa…and thank you…for being such a good friend to my daughter."

"I should be thanking Kona-chan for the same reason. That is…if she'll ever talk to me again," Tsukasa replied in her mind as Kanata became fainter and fainter in the sea of white while the wind continued to blow.

With one final voice in her head, Tsukasa could hear Kanata say, "Like I said, Tsukasa, all good things come to those who wait… and remember your promise."

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The whiteness somehow turned to a very light red as Tsukasa felt her senses returning to normal. She had a massive headache and could feel the warming comfort of a mattress beneath her and blankets covering her. Digital beeps sounded in the room and Tsukasa suddenly heard a female's voice over an intercom system announce, "Dr. Tajiri, please call Dr. Kitsune at extension 7-7-3-4. Thank you."

Tsukasa suddenly realized the wall of light red that was blocking her vision was the inside of her eyelids and they began to twitch as she opened them. As she struggled to open her eyes, she heard the sounds of birds chirping nearby. She didn't expect to hear such cheery and sunny noises, especially since it was February. The first thing she saw was blinding white and she had to rest her eyes for a few more minutes until they could adjust to the bright fluorescent lights above her. When she was able to fully open her eyes, she realized she was in the hospital.

_I'm…alive? Was it all…just a dream?_

Tsukasa heard the birds chirping again to her right and she slowly shifted her eyes towards the window where more bright light was coming from. When her vision of the window cleared, her heart raced. She could see trees outside but they weren't dark and twisted like they were just the other day, or was it the other day? These trees were covered with bright green leaves and flowers budding out of some of the branches while two birds sat in the limbs, singing their hearts out.

_What…? How…how can that be…? It…its February…isn't it?_

Helpless to move, Tsukasa had to continue to wait as her nerves began to return to her body and she was able to move her hands and feet again in no time. It took about half an hour until she could fully move the rest of her body as she stretched her limbs out to get the feelings back into them. Her arms and legs felt like four pieces of plywood but she could still feel the blood rushing back into them.

Sitting up and yawning, she suddenly heard a doorknob turning and looked to her left and saw her door slowly open. She prepared herself for anything because she had to but a rush of relief came when she saw the old, wrinkly face accompanied by the white hair of her old doctor, Hirukawa. He held a clipboard in his hand and when he closed the door and looked up, he froze as if he was shot.

His eyes were wide and his breathing increased. When his clipboard slipped from his grip and crashed on the floor, he smiled and approached. "My, my, my. Look at this."

For the first time in far too long, Tsukasa presented her infamous trademark and beautiful smile to the old man. "Hello, Dr. Hirukawa."

Dr. Hirukawa approached Tsukasa's medical equipment and when he saw all her vitals were stable, he looked down at her with a smile. He wanted to cry as he looked at her beautiful smile on her picturesque face staring back at him. "Tsukasa, do you know what the date is?"

Tsukasa's smile slowly faded and she shook her head.

"When you jumped from that building, you suffered traumatic injuries. You had a broken arm, three broken ribs, a fractured tibia, and a broken left wrist. On top of that, you slipped into a coma." Dr. Hirukawa said. "That was four months ago."

Tsukasa's reaction was surprisingly placid. "Four months…June?"

Dr. Hirukawa nodded. "Correct, it's June. I'm sure this must come as quite a shock to you and I'm sure you have a lot of questions and I promise you—"

To his surprise, Tsukasa quickly shook her head. "It doesn't matter, sir. I just want to see sis. Where is Kagami?"

Dr. Hirukawa smiled and looked at his watch. "She should be here in half an hour. Ever since you arrived that night in February and as soon as she regained her strength, she visited you every single day at 4:00 pm on the dot and stayed until visiting hours were over."

Tsukasa quickly felt her face and turned back to Dr. Hirukawa. "How do I look? I want to look presentable for sis when she arrives."

He smiled again and opened a medical drawer next to Tsukasa's medical equipment and pulled out a mirror and handed it to her while adding, "You tell me, dear."

Tsukasa slowly looked at the reflective glass and nearly dropped it when she saw herself. She was her again. Her black hair with the blue stripe was gone and her old hairstyle with her natural color was back and she could see the life in it once again, as well as the thriving existence in her sparkling violet eyes. She was beautiful yet again and she wanted to cry in joy. The demon inside her was gone and it was as if her whole ordeal was just a bad dream.

"Is there anything I can get for you, Tsukasa? Are you hungry or thirsty?" Dr. Hirukawa added when Tsukasa handed him back the mirror.

Tsukasa held her smile and slowly shook her head. "You've done more than enough, Dr. Hirukawa. I can't even begin to thank you for all that you've done. Especially for never giving up on me."

He too held his smile and nodded and placed his hand on Tsukasa's cheek, deepening the smile on the girl's face. "No thank you is necessary, Tsukasa. I've known you and your family for years. I was the one that helped your mother give birth to not only you, but also your other three sisters. You're like the daughter I never had and I know you'll make everyone proud from here on out."

Dr. Hirukawa left the room and Tsukasa was left with her thoughts. This time, she was relieved to know they were peaceful and all she could think about was how anxious she was to see Kagami again. She wondered what else she missed in these past four months since her ill-fated suicide attempt but as she thought about it, something suddenly struck her. She had attempted suicide and failed again, which meant her freedom was as good as dead sooner or later. She knew after this attempt she wouldn't walk out of that hospital a free girl again. Tsukasa smiled at the idea and knew that today was the beginning of the rest of her life.

Tsukasa watched the clock anxiously and only a few seconds past 4:00 pm, the doorknob once again turned and Tsukasa wanted to cry out when she saw her beloved Kagami slowly walk in with a large book in her grasp. The first thing Tsukasa noticed about Kagami was her hair when she turned around to gently close the door. Her hair had grown a lot and it now reached to the back of her shoulders.

"Hello, sis." Tsukasa gently announced with subtlety.

Kagami stiffened like a board and slowly turned her head, tears already in her eyes. Seeing Tsukasa sitting up in her bed with her infamous smile let the large book slip from her grasp and when it hit the floor, Kagami's meltdown began. She cried loudly as she rushed to her sister and wrapped her arms around Tsukasa and rested herself on her little sister's bed and wailed loudly as she held her tight. Tsukasa held her firmly as well and rubbed her back and allowed her sister to vent all her emotions and after four months of buildup, Kagami had a lot to release.

When Kagami's breakdown was over nearly ten minutes after it began, she could barely stand. Tsukasa scooted over and allowed Kagami to rest on her bed and it was a beautiful sight. It was like a remake of the bully incident when the twins were five-years-old with Tsukasa holding her older sister tightly and stroking her head as Kagami continued to sniff and whimpered. Tsukasa added another kiss to the top of Kagami's head, making the oldest Hiiragi twin a little calmer.

"I…missed…you…so much." Kagami choked and sniffed as she held her little sister tighter. "They said…that you…that you…wouldn't wake up."

"I am awake, sis, I am awake. That's all that matters." Tsukasa whispered. "What's also important is that…I'm back. I'm going to get help and we're going to beat this once and for all…as a family."

Kagami nodded quickly and sniffled. It was the only response her energy-depleted body would allow.

"So…what's new, sis?" Tsukasa asked in her charming voice.

Kagami couldn't help but giggle at the question as she wiped another tear and sat up. "You missed so much, Tsukasa."

"Tell me something," Tsukasa whispered.

Kagami looked back at the room's door and saw the thick book was still on the floor. "I think it'd be better if I showed you."

She pulled herself off the bed, nearly losing her balance in the process and wobbled over to the thick book and picked it up. It was clearly a photo album when Kagami brought it over with a thick burgundy cover and gold trim with thick pages. Kagami rested herself back on the bed next to Tsukasa and opened the first page. The first picture showed a handsome young man in his late twenties in a tuxedo and standing next to him was an exceptionally beautiful young woman in her mid-twenties wearing a sparkling white wedding dress. She held a bouquet of flowers in her hands as the young man stood next to his bride.

"Who are they?" Tsukasa asked with curiosity.

"The woman's name is Kiyora Yamagata, the Prime Minister's granddaughter." Kagami said with a smile.

Tsukasa's eyes shot open when she heard the identity of the woman. "The…the Prime Minister's granddaughter?! But…but I thought that they…that they…"

"Found another shrine?" Kagami finished and continued softly. "They were going to, until your jump caught the attention of the news. It turned out that Yamagata-san had a childhood friend who was raped at the age of ten. They were nearly inseparable like us but after her friend was raped, she was never the same and ultimately had a mental breakdown and they couldn't see each other anymore. When she heard about you and the story, she wouldn't have the wedding anywhere else. She wanted to make a statement to Japan and was absolutely adamant about coming out and giving her support to us."

Tsukasa wanted to cry again. Good fortune had finally smiled upon the Hiiragi family and she couldn't be restrained in turning the pages to look at the other pictures. The other pictures included the young couple posing with each other around the shrine and Tsukasa was in awe when she saw the beautiful Kiyora Yamagata hugging both Inori and Matsuri, who were fully dressed as Mikos. Kagami was also sitting on a stone bench next to the koi pond with Yamagata sitting next to her, Kagami also in her Miko outfit. Tsukasa's favorite picture was of the wedding ceremony and she saw her father performing it as spectators watched. Another favorite picture showed Tadao Hiiragi bowing before the Prime Minister himself, and the elected official also bowed to him.

"I'm so happy for you, sis." Tsukasa said as they reached the end of the album. "What's the Prime Minister's granddaughter like?"

"She's an absolute angel. She was so nice and considerate, a lot like Miyuki." Kagami replied as the twins held each other again. "When she first saw us, she actually began to cry. She gave her love and support to you and our family and she said she understood the pain of seeing a loved one suffer in such a way. She also promised that all of us would be in her daily prayers."

Tsukasa slowly nodded. "What else did I miss? Did they ever find out who vandalized the shrine?"

Kagami remained silent. "Let's not talk about that, Tsukasa. I should call mom and dad and tell them you're awake."

As Kagami slowly pulled herself up, Tsukasa held onto her older sister. "Sis, please don't go yet. Can we just stay like this for awhile longer, please?"

Tsukasa didn't have to ask her twice and Kagami happily rested back on the bed. The twins held each other tightly and let the silence become harmonious between them. They stayed like that for awhile longer until a question in Tsukasa's mind became too much to bear and she vocalized it.

"Sis?"

"Yes, Tsukasa?"

"What happened that night I…hurt you?" Tsukasa asked and now her voice was becoming choked. "Did you…die?"

Kagami remained silent until she slowly responded. "I don't remember much, Tsukasa. Honestly. The last thing I remember is I was being rushed in on a gurney and as Dr. Hirukawa was examining me, I passed out after I begged mom to find and save you. After that, I awoke two days later and you were in the room next to me."

"But what happened to you, sis? I thought you died and that's why I jumped." Tsukasa added.

"I did."

Tsukasa quivered but Kagami stroked her to calm her.

"From what mom told me, this is how it happened. The doctors were operating on me and when they removed the knife, I began to bleed into my stomach unexpectedly and I died because I had already lost too much blood." Kagami told the horror tale. "They tried to use the defibrillator on me but it didn't do any good. That's when Dr. Hirukawa stood and ordered the nurses to drain him of his blood. It turns out he too has Type-B blood. I was put on life support that allowed the machine to pump my heart for me while the surgeons drained my stomach of blood and used Dr. Hirukawa's in a transfusion. He saved my life."

"But…but I saw a policeman tell mom and dad you died before I jumped." Tsukasa countered as she held Kagami tighter, as if she was afraid she would disappear.

Kagami nodded. "That's true, but news traveled slowly in that confusion. That policeman told mom and dad I flat-lined but they were still working. Mom just couldn't take it anymore."

It all began to make sense for the youngest Hiiragi daughter. "But…you're feeling better?"

Kagami slowly sat up on her knees and grasped the bottom of her shirt and slowly lifted it up. Tsukasa tried to stay calm but knew it was a futile battle when she saw the scar from the knife just above Kagami's belly button. A second and larger scar sat next to the knife wound, a souvenir of when the doctors had to cut Kagami's stomach open to drain the blood. Tsukasa ran her fingers across the two linear bumps and let a tear drip from her eye.

Kagami caught it and tenderly said, "Hey, don't cry. It's okay; I'm fine now. It doesn't hurt at all and it's like it never happened."

"But it did happen, sis. It did happen." Tsukasa whimpered as Kagami lowered her shirt and rested back on the bed with Tsukasa.

"Don't beat yourself up over this, Tsukasa. Matsuri told me all about what happened to you at The Black Window and how you were so brave and fought back." Kagami added. "You're so courageous, Tsukasa. A lot more than I would've been in that spot."

Tsukasa still felt the shame of hurting Kagami in such a way and didn't want to talk about The Black Window or Yuka Miyakawa. The youngest Hiiragi twin still had one question on her mind as she rethought everything that had just happened since she woke up. She remembered a very strange dream but couldn't recall every single detail. For some reason though, when she woke up, all Tsukasa could think about was her family and the people around her who cared about her. All her dark and sinister thoughts, as well as her distraught and hysterical thoughts were gone and it was almost like her brain was restarting itself.

"Sis…now that I know about what happened to you, could you tell me what happened to me?" Tsukasa asked. "What happened after I jumped?"

Kagami cringed at the question but regardless knew that Tsukasa had a right to know. "From what Inori and Matsuri told me, you jumped and when you landed, the paramedics quickly rushed over to you and tried to revive you. You technically died for over a minute until they could start your heart again and here in this bed you stayed ever since. You had casts on over your wounds and broken bones, but they eventually healed, too."

Tsukasa released a curious hum.

"Why do you ask?" Kagami added.

"No reason, I'm just trying to remember this dream I had. I dreamt about…you guys. I dreamt about when you and I were kids and…there was this woman there, too." Tsukasa said, scratching her head.

"A woman? What did she look like?" Kagami asked.

"Um…she was short…with very long hair…and, she had these eyes. These big eyes." Tsukasa struggled with the details. "After I saw her…I suddenly felt…better. When I woke up I knew that I _wanted _to seek help and I wanted to enroll in Dr. Hirukawa's psychological program. Now that I think about this woman…something's telling me that I need to talk with Kona-chan. Is she around?"

Kagami smirked. "You know her. She's _always_ around, which reminds me of something. I need to show you another picture."

The once again budding twin-tailed girl sat up again and reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. She opened her phone and eventually found a picture that always brought a smile to Kagami's face and she remembered that she would look at it at least three times every day Tsukasa was in the coma.

Kagami held the phone and said, "Remember that one time you, me, and Yu-chan were at Konata's house and she talked about what kind of animals we would be?"

It took awhile for Tsukasa to remember but the old memory suddenly popped in her head and she nodded with a smile.

Kagami turned the phone to Tsukasa and the youngest Hiiragi twin held it and looked at the glowing screen. It took her a few seconds to process everything in it but she suddenly felt a smile tug at the corners of her mouth and she began laughing. It wasn't a sinister or maniacal laugh either. It was Tsukasa's genuine and sincere laugh at the image and it only took seconds for tears to appear in her eyes as she held her sides as she laughed.

The image was of Tsukasa in her bed and still in a coma but with Konata on one side of her and Kagami on the other. Konata was wearing a pair of fake fox ears and had whiskers painted on her face while Kagami wore a fake pair of white rabbit ears and a bright red blush was painted across her face and the look on her face was one of deep embarrassment, unlike the flamboyant Konata. Kagami also wore a fake pink rabbit nose with whiskers on the front of her face, completing the outfit. Konata had a large smile on her face with one winking eye while Kagami's eyes were looking the other direction in her cosplay shame. Tsukasa meanwhile had a pair of dog ears sticking out of her head as she slept in the bed while Konata gave the peace sign with her fingers, as did Kagami. Konata also painted a small dog face on Tsukasa's. A sign was also sitting above Tsukasa's head that read "WE LOVE TSUKASA" and it was signed by all her friends from school. It was also decorated with glitter and had doodles of stars and hearts across it.

Kagami once again wrapped her arm around Tsukasa's shoulder and pulled her close as she watched her sister continue to laugh hysterically at the picture while wiping the tears from her eyes. All Kagami could do was think a single thought in her mind.

_Thank you, Konata. I'm glad I changed my mind about not being friends with you anymore._

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There wasn't a single dry eye in the Hiiragi family when they arrived at Tsukasa's hospital room later that day. Tsukasa was nearly suffocated to death when her mother and older sisters put their hugs on her but for once, she didn't mind. When Tsukasa made it clear to everyone that she was back from the darkness and that she wanted to willingly volunteer herself to Dr. Hirukawa's program, it only brought more tears. The nightmare was finally over.

Tears flowed like countless rivers at the thought of Tsukasa leaving the family once again but this time they knew it was for her own good. That still however didn't make it any easier. Tsukasa was granted allowance to leave the hospital two days after she woke up to go home after her physical abilities returned, though it would only be for twenty-four hours to sort out her priorities and pack. The basics of the program of Dr. Hirukawa's were simple but still difficult to comprehend that it still had to come to this. Because of the end results of the picture incident four months earlier, Tsukasa was allowed to return to Ryōō High School, though more symbolically.

For the next six to twelve months, Tsukasa Hiiragi would call a place called White Mountain Psychiatric Hospital her new home. She would have a fixed agenda from dawn to dusk, where she would spend her hours either repeating her final year in high school by doing the work that would be sent to her, attending group therapy sessions, or talking one-on-one with a psychologist. The youngest Hiiragi would be under twenty-four hour surveillance like the rest of the patients by the orderlies and would be required to take any and all medications that were given to her while having to pass drug tests during her rehab sessions. It wasn't all bad, though. She would see Dr. Hirukawa everyday and her family promised to visit her every weekend. Because of Dr. Hirukawa's love and acceptance of Tsukasa and her family, he was able to twist a few arms and fixed Tsukasa up with a constant one-on-one therapist during her stay, who was also Hirukawa's daughter-in-law.

Tsukasa spent her last day of freedom with her family and reconciling everything. Even though she was given the opportunity, Tsukasa chose not to meet all her friends at once because she thought it would be too hard and too sad to say goodbye. However, the Hiiragi family was still expecting one guest later that night. The harmonious tranquility that always fell upon the Hiiragi family was now restored and it showed when Tsukasa and Miki cooked dinner together like old times.

It was a beautiful sight to see all six members of the family sitting around the dinner table talking and laughing together like they used to. They still knew there were a lot of issues to resolve and that Tsukasa was still in for a long road ahead of her, but for now, they just wanted to live out the remaining time they had left together as a family. Tsukasa knew it was going to be tough and it was inevitable that she would have to relive her New Years rape all over again for the psychologists, as well as all the terrible things she had done to her friends and family.

When dinner was over, Kagami and Tsukasa sat together on the living room sofa while looking at more pictures. Tsukasa only had to look at one and her crying cycle resumed without a hitch. They were a series of pictures chronicling Tsukasa's four month stay in the hospital and the first one showed Kagami in her hospital gown sitting next to the sleeping Tsukasa while she held her hand. The next showed Kagami reading a book to her younger sister late at night. Another presented Kagami visiting Tsukasa again late at night, only Kagami was asleep in a chair and resting her head on Tsukasa's bedside while holding her sister's hand. Tsukasa recognized her father's coat wrapped around Kagami's body in the image as she sat in the chair and slept.

Flipping through the images, Tsukasa's internal warmth continued to rise when she saw some of her classmates standing around her as she was in her coma and giving their support. One of the pictures showed Yu-chan kissing Tsukasa's head while Minami-chan stood above and watched with loving eyes. When Tsukasa saw another picture of Misao with her arm bluntly wrapped around Kagami's neck in a friendly manner, it also brought a smile to the youngest Hiiragi. One thing that struck Tsukasa more than anything was how unique her sister's friends were like Konata and Misao, but what separated them from the rest was how loyal they were to Kagami.

Later that night, a knock was heard on the front door and Kagami knew who it was. She quickly sprinted to the door and flung it open and like an animal snagging its prey, Kagami reeled in the visitor with a massive hug. As Tsukasa slowly approached the door, she could hear a familiar voice gasp, "Easy there, Kagamin, I'm not a tube of toothpaste, you know."

"Kona-chan!" Tsukasa exclaimed and ran over to the constricted Konata and added her hug to the situation, further depleting the blue-haired girl of air.

When the Hiiragi twins finally released their friend, it was Konata's turn to suck the air out of them and her target was Tsukasa. She held the youngest fraternal twin as tight as her petite body would allow her and when she released her, Tsukasa couldn't contain herself anymore and her eyes became watery.

"Kona-chan, I'm so, so sorry for all the terrible things I said and did to you." Tsukasa choked as tears fell from her eyes. "With sis, you're my best friend and you were still there for me when I tried to push you away. You…you were right when you said that one day…I would…be more haunted by my words…than you…its true…!"

Again, Konata's only response was to embrace the crying Tsukasa again as Kagami watched and the rest of the Hiiragi family listened from the other room. Konata pulled away and said, "Now, now, Tsukasa. I know that you're going to get better tomorrow so do we really want to waste time like this? Kagami, time to do what you promised."

Tsukasa glanced at Kagami, who nodded and looked at her younger sister and said with a smile, "Wanna go for a walk?"

Like a vintage image from one of their past sleepovers, the three girls kept each other company as they walked together down the desolate road. Tsukasa couldn't have pictured a more perfect night as she looked up and saw the billions of stars in the cloudless sky while the chirping crickets treated them all to a peaceful serenade. No words needed to be exchanged between the three of them; all they needed was the company of the other until a shooting star streaked across the colorful sky.

"Look, Tsukasa, a shooting star." Konata said. "Make a wish. It doesn't matter if you're fast enough or not."

Tsukasa smiled, closed her eyes while folding her hands, bowed her head and made her wish. When her wish was complete, she kept it inside her and looked at Konata. "Aren't you going to make a wish too, Kona-chan?"

Konata smiled back at Tsukasa. "It already came true, Tsukasa."

Konata and Tsukasa looked at Kagami, who to their surprise, had her hands folded and held her head low as she too made a wish. When it was complete and she looked at them, she blushed in embarrassment.

"What? You think a realist shrine maiden can't have wishes too?" Kagami snapped.

After the inevitable tit-for-tat exchange between Konata's playful harassment and Kagami's aggressive retaliation, the walk was over way too soon for the friends. While Kagami went inside, Tsukasa stayed outside with Konata. The two stood with each other and continued to look up at the sky.

"You know, whenever I look at this many stars and when I think about all this shrine maiden stuff, I sometimes think about my mom." Konata said. "I wonder if she's up there and is looking down on me and protecting me…or even us. Believe it or not Tsukasa, when I saw you jump from that building on the news, I cried for my mom to save you."

Hearing this triggered something in Tsukasa's intuition. She suddenly remembered something she needed to say to Konata and she quickly said, "Konata, I just wanted to say thank you for being such a good friend to me."

Konata turned her head and gave a confused look and hum to Tsukasa. "Where did that come from?"

Tsukasa shook her head. "I don't know. Something in my mind is just telling me to say that. I guess I needed to say it because it's true. You have been a good friend to me, and you make one cute fox."

Konata giggled. "And you make one cute doggy, Tsukasa. But about what you said, I too should say the same about you. You've always been a good friend to me and…"

Konata paused and Tsukasa saw moisture thicken in Konata's eyes. She was eventually able to continue.

"And I know you'll make us proud, Tsukasa. I always believed you were too beautiful and too sweet to fail." Konata finished, emotions clearly getting the best of her as her voice revealed.

Trying to stay calm, Tsukasa slowly nodded and hugged Konata. "I love you, Kona-chan."

"I love you too, Tsukasa." Konata pulled Tsukasa tighter.

It was an emotional event when Konata had to leave, knowing that that would be the last time she would see Tsukasa for a long time. Tsukasa had to cry when she saw Konata disappear down the street but kept telling herself that she was going to get better and make everyone proud. Everyone in the Hiiragi family went to bed that night as a tight-knit family once again and the peace they felt in their slumber was dearly missed.

When Kagami awoke several hours later at 4:30 am, she felt nature calling and quickly used the bathroom. On her way back to her room, she wanted to check on Tsukasa and slowly slid her bedroom door open and peered into the darkness. She could see the bed but to Kagami's surprise, she didn't see any bumps in it indicating that a person was sleeping on it.

She turned on the light and as it burned her eyes, she suddenly felt scared when she saw no one was in it. The bed was made perfectly only with one addition; a piece of paper was sitting on the pillow and folded neatly. Fearing something had happened once again, Kagami quickly snatched the paper and opened it.

_At the shrine_.

Those three simple words were all that was on the paper and Kagami wasted no time in going there. Feeling the warmth of the summer night, Kagami approached the shrine with her heart racing. Had Tsukasa relapsed and was now doing more destruction to either the shrine or herself? When Kagami saw no flames rising from any of the buildings or any sounds of self-abuse, she felt a slight relief. She felt complete relief when she suddenly found Tsukasa sitting on one of the stone benches next to the koi pond.

Kagami slowly approached and sat next to her sister, who stared at the fish swimming in its clear water. "Hey…what cha doing up so late?"

"I'm not up late, sis. I just woke up at four and decided to get up." Tsukasa said. "Today is the day where I become a new and better person."

Kagami smiled and wrapped her arm around Tsukasa, pulling her close. "I don't think it's possible for you to become a better person, Tsukasa. You're already perfect to me and everybody who loves you."

"If only that was true, sis." Tsukasa disagreed with her as she looked up and saw a glint of orange on the horizon; the sun was slowly coming up over the hills in the distance. "What I did to you, and everyone else…I don't think I can ever forgive myself."

"If you can't forgive yourself, who can you forgive, Tsukasa? Who?" Kagami added.

"But Patty-chan—"

"Hush, I don't want to even hear that name anymore." Kagami said sternly. "What you did to her may have been bad, but what she did was worse. She knew you were violated and that you weren't yourself, yet she still acted like a bitch and forced all her personas on you. She had the chance to walk away, but she didn't and she did what she did to our shrine."

"But…she was expelled from school. She was even arrested…I'm responsible for that. If I didn't hurt her like I did." Tsukasa expressed her guilt in her voice.

Kagami looked at her sister. Tsukasa really was back to her old self as she felt pity for the person who did her more harm and humiliation through those pictures and billboards. And the fact that Tsukasa now had to be in a psychological program instead of Patty was painful irony and further proof that life wasn't fair.

"Forget about it, Tsukasa." Kagami said and looked forward. "Look. It's a brand new day for us."

Tsukasa looked forward and saw the orange sun rise above the distant horizon and the light of a new day and a new future graced them. It was like a sign from above to see such a picturesque morning, but Tsukasa was still nervous about leaving her family and staying at a strange place with other strange people for a long time.

A light bulb suddenly flashed in Kagami's mind and she said, "I forgot…but I have something for you."

Tsukasa looked at her. "Something for me, sis?"

Kagami nodded and reached into her pocket. "Close your eyes and hold out your hands."

Tsukasa obeyed and held out her hands and in her darkness, felt a piece of cloth being put into her palms and when Kagami allowed her to see it, she felt the tears come. In her hands sat her trademark yellow ribbon, the one she ditched so long ago in her crumbling state.

"I…I…I…thought I…threw this…out." Tsukasa choked as she held it.

Kagami nodded. "That's right. _You_ did, but I kept it. I always knew one day you would come back to us, Tsukasa, and that's why I kept it. So it would be here for you."

Wasting no time, Tsukasa quickly tied it in her hair again and let the two ribbons stand atop her head. Now Tsukasa was a perfect reincarnation of herself once again and the youngest Hiiragi hugged her sister tightly. They stayed on the stone bench and watched the sunrise together as their last act of sister bonding before they would be forced to part ways yet again.

"Now all I have to do is find a place that does tattoo removal for cheap." Tsukasa added.

By 7:00 am, Dr. Hirukawa arrived at the Hiiragi household, ready to take Tsukasa to the program. The six member family stood in front of their house while Tsukasa faced them with a suitcase by her feet. Taking each other in one final time, Tsukasa hugged her family and there wasn't a single dry-eye in the bunch as Tsukasa let go and took her bag to Dr. Hirukawa's car. They wanted to say so much to each other but knew that if they did, they would only be making this harder on themselves.

When Tsukasa packed her bag and disappeared in the car, the now five members of the Hiiragi family held each other's hands tightly. It was when the car began to disappear down the street that Miki allowed herself to fall to her knees and cry while everyone else picked her up, also with tears flowing freely.

As Tsukasa sat and held her head, Dr. Hirukawa placed his hand on her head as he drove and said, "Don't worry, Tsukasa-san, it'll be okay. You are stronger than you know it, now…let me treat you to breakfast."

Tsukasa smiled and happily allowed it.


	23. The End

CHAPTER 23

THE END

NEW YORK CITY, USA

15 YEARS LATER

It was considered one of the largest annual fashion shows in the world. Designers, corporations, celebrities, and even politicians flocked from all over the world to this spectacular event to gaze at the wondrous new designs of clothes that were modeled by the most beautiful women and handsomest men. Even traffic in the busiest city in the world was brought to an even worse standstill by the show while the streets were packed with limousines and luxurious sports cars. All of the madness centered itself around the infamous Plaza Hotel on Fifth Avenue and the epicenter of the fashion show was in The Grand Ballroom.

The walls were draped with priceless tapestries while hundreds of photographers huddled around the catwalk as pulsing and vibrant music filled the massive room. The luxurious chandeliers sparkled and glowed with every flash of light from the cameras, creating new and scenic colors in their diamonds. Women began to waltz down the catwalk showing off the newest designs from a renowned designer from Japan. The first was an American model wearing the first wardrobe as the camera bulbs burned.

The enthusiastic hostess of the event sat at a table overlooking the event as the applause and flashing cameras filled the room. "Next up is the newest seasonal dress wardrobes by Japan's very own Tsukasa Shiraishi! This is Mrs. Shiraishi's third show here in New York City and twelfth overall as her designs continue to take the world by storm! Now you can see model Amber Cartwright sporting this breathtaking gold silk dress with blue and green feather patterns across the neck and trim. The golden belt is also part of the wardrobe so you hotshots, get your checkbooks ready!"

As the festive show continued to go on, a woman in her early thirties stood backstage and watched the event unfold. She held her folded hands under her chin and nervously watched the female models wear the ensembles she painstakingly worked on for countless months in preparation for this event. She was wearing a beautiful red dress while diamond earrings hung from her ears and a diamond necklace also rested around her flawless swan-like neck. A single yellow ribbon was tied not in her hair, but around her right wrist.

Watching keenly, a voice behind her said, "Tsukasa, Tsukasa!"

The woman in red slowly turned and the former Tsukasa Hiiragi, now thirty-two years old, watched her assistant rush over to her. Fifteen years. It has been fifteen years since the dreaded New Years that changed Tsukasa Hiiragi and her family forever and so much had changed. Externally, Tsukasa was dressed from head to toe in absolute luxury and beauty. Her hair now reaching the back of her shoulders, she graced the world in her red dress, black high-heels, jewelry, and ruby lipstick. One of those pieces of jewelry was a diamond ring wrapped around her left ring finger, symbolizing her marriage to a man.

Internally, Tsukasa continued to think of the events that led her to where she stood. The first few weeks at White Mountain Psychiatric Hospital were the worst. She suffered crying episode one right after another as she had to undergo the psychological transformation by becoming an open book of what happened to her and what she did. Her therapist, Dr. Hirukawa's daughter-in-law, suggested that as a constant stress relief, Tsukasa should draw things or write about things that made her happy. Still feeling the trauma from the infamous diary, Tsukasa took to drawing. It started out with animals, landscapes, the family shrine, and eventually to clothes. Her sketches became more detailed and better with each one and it soon caught the attention of one of the orderlies in the hospital. His aunt was a designer and he asked if Tsukasa would allow her to see some of them, which she reluctantly agreed to. The aunt saw natural talent instantly.

"Yes, Yutaka?" Tsukasa asked her assistant as the short girl stopped to catch her breath, who was also dressed luxuriously.

Yutaka Kobayakawa pumped fresh air into her frail lungs and looked up at Tsukasa as she held a notebook. "I just got off the phone with your driver and he says he was able to pick up your family at JFK airport and he's taking them on a tour of the city just as you asked him to."

Tsukasa nodded passively, her mind still on the fashion show.

"And they'll be here at the hotel in a few hours." Yutaka added.

"Did you hear anything from Kagami yet?" Tsukasa asked.

Yutaka flipped through the pages of her notebook and said. "Yes, she called a few minutes ago and said she was going to be late. She landed a few hours ago."

Tsukasa formed a small grin. "She went to visit your cousin and Hiyori at that convention across the city."

Yutaka nodded happily. "I can't wait to see Konata again. So do you want me to go over your schedule again?"

Tsukasa nodded.

"Okay, after the show you have dinner with your family, along with the requested alone time with Kagami afterward. Tomorrow, you have your speech to deliver at Columbia University to the psychology department, then after that we need to hurry to the airport to catch your 2:00 flight to London where you're to keep promoting your designs." Yutaka struggled to keep up and arrived at her final appointment. "Then the next day we make our flight to Finland where the ICC's committee on sex crimes is meeting in Helsinki for you to give your second speech against sex slavery."

Tsukasa was as exhausted listening to her next few days as Yutaka was reading them. It had all changed so fast when Tsukasa left White Mountain and was allowed to return home after successfully completing the program. She barely started college until fame found her with her unique fashion designs that became an overnight hit. Tsukasa couldn't finish college in the amount of time it took Kagami, but little by little she chipped away until she finally received her degree in marketing. By the time Tsukasa was twenty-five years old, she was in the fast lane. It was not only her designs, but also her story that caught the attention of every agent and publicist in Japan.

"Okay, I understand. Thank you, Yutaka." Tsukasa said and slowly turned away.

Yutaka tilted her head and approached her boss and friend. "Tsukasa, are you okay? You seem a little tense."

Tsukasa nodded as she watched the next model wear one of her designs move onto the catwalk. "I'm fine…I'm just thinking. Minoru and I have been having some…problems lately."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Yutaka asked in her still pure and sweet voice. "You know you can talk to me about anything. We've been through a lot, you know."

She was right. Tsukasa and Yutaka have been through a lot together. As Tsukasa's career got better and better, Yutaka was able to graduate college with a degree in public relations, though she only had one problem. No job offerings. Despite her mental growth, Yutaka remained short and frail with her own list of medical problems and she couldn't find a business that would hire someone to represent them who constantly fell ill every season. When no one else was there, Tsukasa was. She took Yutaka under her wing and taught her about the world of fashion and hired her as her assistant and new publicist. Her innocent appearance charmed all who met her and with Tsukasa's natural talent in design, they made for an unstoppable team.

"I would like that, Yutaka. Better than staying here and trying to keep my heart from breaking out of my chest." Tsukasa replied and was led by Yutaka out of the fashion frenzy

The two friends graced the infamous and spacious lobby of the Plaza Hotel as they walked above the golden floors. Priceless art and decorations breathed life into the hotel as the two friends made their way to a place in the building called The Champagne Bar, a place that they enjoyed going to and relaxing at. This was their third day and night in New York City staying at the Plaza Hotel and the third time they would drink at this exquisite bar.

After ordering two white chardonnays, Yutaka placed her hands under her chin and said, "So talk to me, Tsukasa. What's going on?"

"I'm just so nervous. I heard that scouts from Chanel, Gucci, and Prada were at this show looking for possible new designs." Tsukasa whimpered. "My agent says that if even just one of those corporations picked my designs, I would never have to worry about money ever again."

Yutaka was slightly confused by Tsukasa's concern. "You're worried about money? But you're already financially secure, Tsukasa. Your children are already enrolled in that private school Miyuki suggested to you and their college funds are already taken care of. The best part about that is that your children are only seven and five years old."

"It's not that kind of worriment." Tsukasa responded quickly. "It's just that…I don't know. I guess I just worry about what so much money can do to a family. You and I travel a lot and it's hard for me to schedule some time to stay home with Minoru and the kids, and when it gets to the point where I can only see my husband and children on a computer screen via Skype, I want to start crying. I guess I'm just trying to find that thin line between being a good mother and being a good provider without spoiling them or something."

"Oh I see now." Yutaka replied. "Yes I do remember you saying you wanted to schedule some time off to stay at home in Tokyo. But I've known Minoru for a long time too and I think that he understands that you're a hard worker and you know he's a great father."

The waiter quickly returned with two glasses of chardonnay sitting on a tray and gently placed them in front of the two women, following it up by leaving them to their privacy. Tsukasa abruptly took the glass and began to swallow the liquid at a hastened pace, showing the level of her stress in the process.

"He is a great father and a great man." Tsukasa looked away as she sat the glass down. "I just wish I could've been a better wife in the beginning. There were a few times when I really thought we were going to split. Because of…my past…I still don't know if I'm going to be a good enough mother for my children when they grow up and start having questions about…adult issues. My sex life has to be…different after all."

Yutaka outstretched her hand and forcefully took Tsukasa's, surprising the fashion designer. She cupped Tsukasa's hand in hers and said, "Tsukasa, I want you to stop all of this nonsense right now. I know you had some marital problems in the beginning and believe it or not, you will in the future, too. I understand how you feel about your abilities as a mother but I don't want you for one second to think that you're not good enough. You are the most incredible person and woman I've ever had the pleasure to be friends with and work with. Minoru is a lucky man to have you and those kids of yours will grow up and also do incredible things just like their mother and do you know why they will do that Tsukasa? Because _you_ are their mother."

Tsukasa was deeply touched by her friend's and assistant's words. She took Yutaka's other hand and the two ladies held each other's hands over the table in the booth and smiled to each other. Tsukasa thanked her deeply for always being there for her and for always pushing her when she needed it. Tsukasa and Yutaka fed off each other in that way. Yutaka looked up to Tsukasa as a role model for all that she was able to accomplish since she was raped and used that as her reason to wake up every day and do her best.

Tsukasa on the other hand needed someone like Yutaka around who had a soothing personality and give her reassurance every now and then. Despite all that Tsukasa was able to achieve in her career and life, she still doubted herself; a remnant of the New Years that changed her forever. Whenever she and her husband would have a fight, she would become very depressed and even contemplate quitting the fashion world. That's one of the many reasons why she kept Yutaka around.

"Thanks for all that, Yutaka. Now that I know what being a mother feels like…I wonder what being an aunt will be like. Inori will help me in that department in a few more weeks."

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This was her very first time visiting New York City and only second time visiting the United States of America. The only time she spent in America was her semester at Harvard University for her graduate internship in Law. She wanted to think that she was a mature and level-headed woman and her credentials in the academic world would testify to that, but still she felt like a kid in a candy store as she sat in the backseat of her arranged ride and looked out the window. Unable to take her eyes off the towering buildings and exotic culture, Kagami Hiiragi was already having the time of her life.

She was able to unglue her eyes from the surroundings momentarily to check herself one final time. Dressed in an expensive work suit, Kagami reached into her handbag and pulled out a small mirror with a makeup kit attached to it and examined herself in the mirror. Her hair once again dangled majestically behind her and reached as far as her lower back in a professional style. She packed her makeup away and breathed a deep sigh as she sat in the back of the luxurious sedan that her younger sister arranged for her.

It had been a long haul for her as well these past fifteen years. Kagami was almost certain that she was going to have to repeat her final year of high school, but when her sister slipped into the coma, she picked herself up and rose to the challenge. For Tsukasa. That was her reasoning behind Kagami working night and day through sweat, tears, and blood to make up the work she lost due to mental or physical health at the hands of Tsukasa. She never held a grudge against her fraternal twin for it and always and still saw her as the victim in the hellish storm that found the Hiiragi family. Kagami graduated with her class at the end of the school year as if nothing happened, but that was just the beginning for her.

It was the happiest day of Kagami's life when she received her acceptance letter into Tokyo University and was immediately admitted to their law program. Taking an example from the reborn Tsukasa post-hospital, she distinguished herself as a dedicated academic and quickly became a law prodigy. Her undergrad years flew by in an instant and before she knew it, she was already in graduate school. Even going abroad for a semester seemed to come and go too fast when she eventually returned to Japan and once she became a lawyer, she continued forward. With the friends and colleagues she won over in Tokyo University and the people skills she mastered in America as an intern, Kagami learned firsthand how hard it was to open her own firm. Nevertheless, her skills and perseverance enabled her to establish one of the most influential corporate law firms in Japan.

Every now and then, Kagami still felt lonely and lacking in some areas as a result of her constant work effort, but her job still kept her going. She admitted to herself that she was a woman and had certain desires that needed to be satisfied, but her strict dedication to work put them on hold. She was envious of some of her old friends and even two of her sisters that were able to find respectful men to marry them and begin a family with. Maybe one day for Kagami too.

_Unbelievable. I'm the only one who's going to be dressed like a human at this thing…and yet I'm the one who's going to stick out like a sore thumb._

Kagami thought this to herself as she spotted the first person dressed as Kyon and was accompanied by a vibrant female dressed as Haruhi. Kagami rolled her eyes as her car kept approaching the annual event known as AniMiniCon and her eyes suddenly caught the whole seven member cast of Highschool of the Dead. When the car finally stopped outside of the building where the convention was and she saw the other people cosplaying, all she could say to herself was, "So many Sailor Moon's, so little time."

When the car came to a stop, she informed the driver that she would be awhile and allowed him to leave her. Feeling the effects of the wardrobe irony, Kagami's face burned red when all the cosplayers and otakus locked their eyes on her and some even giggled, making her frustration rise. Still, she walked with pride in her expensive suit and into the convention center. Showing the pass she acquired from an old blue-haired friend to the front desk, she was allowed access into the otaku paradise where stands of manga artists were pushing their latest work. Some of the more famous voice actors also made appearances and graced their fans while signing autographs and doing panels.

After trying to paddle her way through the treacherous ocean of otakus, her heart suddenly pounded when she saw the flash of long blue hair sitting at a table with a large stock of manga stacked next to her. There was a long line of fans at her table waiting anxiously for an autograph and the latest issue written by her and sketched by her partner, who was sitting next to her.

Nervously, Kagami inadvertently ran her hands over her suit in one last attempt to push any dust or dirt off and slowly approached. Seeing Konata again for the first time in years made her heart race faster as she looked at her friend. She hadn't changed a bit physically, but had one addition to her face: glasses. They weren't as big as Miyuki's were, but still noticeable and Kagami sighed with a slight smile on her face. She wondered if those glasses were ever prescribed or if it was just for the fan base.

When her presence was known, Konata quickly turned her head and her reaction was surprisingly complacent when she saw Kagami for the first time in years. She simply closed her eyes and formed her infamous cat-like grin and slowly stood, though Kagami still hovered over top of her.

"You are hands down the worst cosplayer I've ever seen, Kagamin." Konata said smugly.

Kagami rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, Konata, but I still win in school. Even in college, the only A's _you_ got are the two that are still sitting on the front of your chest."

Konata scrunched her face and a red vein popped over her head, but it quickly disappeared and the blue-haired woman quickly hugged Kagami, who hugged her back.

"Hey Kagami, long time no see!" Konata's career partner exclaimed as she finished another autograph.

Kagami looked up and saw Hiyori Tamura sitting next to Konata's seat. Her appearance too remained unchanged over the past fifteen years. The biggest thing that changed was her relationship with Konata. After they worked as a team all those years ago to fight for Kagami and Tsukasa, the two otakus realized they could do so much more. They immediately began working on their own manga and storylines together. It was nearly a perfect setup. Konata comes up with the storylines, plots, and characters, and Hiyori brings them all to life. Konata's unique stories and her unwillingness to compromise any established laws of anime made her an instant hit, as did Hiyori's sharp skills at the art.

"It's great to see you too, Hiyori." Kagami added and released her old friend.

Konata invited Kagami to sit with them as the two manga professionals resumed their duties of signing autographs and accepting the money people were paying for their books. Kagami had to admit that she was impressed with their setup and it seemed that they were doing very well for themselves. Konata admitted that business was booming and that their names were famous at every Comiket and festival in Japan, as well as elsewhere in the world whether it was America or all of Europe.

"I swear Konata, I never thought you would turn this kind of stuff into a career." Kagami huffed. "Why didn't you become vet or a lawyer like in your old journals from when you were younger?"

Konata's mischievous grin returned and she quickly reached under the table. She gripped a custom sketch she did all on her own and held it in her lap while replying, "Well if I did pursue a law degree, I wouldn't be able to draw _this!_"

She dropped the picture in Kagami's lap and the distinguished, long-haired lawyer instantly became enraged like the old days. It was a spoof drawing of Kagami herself dressed in a suit though her mouth was large with many rows of razor teeth, eyes of an angry animal, and a large butt.

"What the hell is this, Konata?!" Kagami yelled, a vein now popping in her head.

"It's your senior portrait from college, Kagamin." Konata said happily.

"And why is my butt so big…and in the shape of a choco-cornet?!" Kagami snapped as she looked at the drawn posterior, with the imitated pastry edged in and making it look much bigger.

"Don't sweat about your big butt, Kagamin. I just used a couple of _ass_-spects. Get it? _Ass_-spects!"

"I also see my razor teeth are made of pocky sticks!"

"You are what you eat after all!" Konata happily proclaimed.

"Fine, then when you and Hiyori come to dinner tonight, I'll order you the short-stack!" Kagami retorted, to which Konata giggled too.

It felt just like old times and that's exactly what the group of friends wanted. They didn't want to think about the reason why they were all gathering in New York aside from incredible coincidence and perfect timing. Tsukasa however was going to turn it into fate later in the evening when the rest of her guests would arrive from Japan.

"I was wondering Hiyori, when's your wedding?" Kagami asked when she saw the reflective ring on her finger as she signed another book.

The female otaku smiled and replied, "Two weeks after we get back. Konata and I head home after the convention and from there, I'll still live with my fiancé until the wedding. And they say that male and female otakus never find each other."

Kagami nodded with a smile. "Congratulations again."

"So when are _you_ getting married, Kagami?" Konata asked with an inflexion in her voice.

Rolling her eyes, Kagami replied, "Don't start with that, Konata. I get enough of that from my parents."

"Hey it's cool. I was just surprised that it was Tsukasa who got married first." Konata said. "I always thought that it would either be Inori or Matsuri."

Kagami looked away. "I think you're right about Inori…but that Matsuri. I swear…she surprised _all_ of us with what she's doing."

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Tsukasa returned to her hotel suite after her discussion with Yutaka. She didn't want to be there for the rest of the show and needed some alone time to relax and build her happy persona back up for her guests of honor when they arrived. Her hotel room was nearly the size of an entire house but the interior design was state of the art and was nothing less than lavishing. Opening the door, she stepped onto a red velvet carpet covering a white tile floor that was her foyer and bypassed all the expensive goods in it. Past the leather furniture, seventy-three inch flat screen television, and dining room with a large finished cherry table and chairs, she went into her bedroom.

Sitting at a table that held her jewelry boxes, she slipped the diamond earrings off and placed them away, as well as her diamond necklace. The hot water of a relaxing shower felt incredible to Tsukasa and her exhausted body but she knew that her day was still far from over. She worked relentlessly to beautify herself yet again, though because of her natural appearance, it was nothing short of redundant.

"I wonder if Miyuki ever got my email…" Tsukasa said to herself and walked over to her bedside table that held her laptop computer.

Sitting on the massive king-sized bed, Tsukasa powered up the computer and when it was ready, she opened her email. She checked her email at 7:00 am before the show started and allowed eight hours to pass that day.

Eighty-two new messages sat in Tsukasa's inbox, much to her annoyance. Emails from her publisher who was responsible for her tell-all book that chronicled her story from the depths of despair to the glowing pillars of success, as well as her books on fashion or cooking. Emails from news corporations and renowned anchors begging for television interviews. Emails from charities thanking her for her continuous contributions that saved the lives of so many homeless and starving children not just in Japan, but across the world. Emails from medical corporations, who thanked her for funding their research and it was there that Tsukasa finally found the email she was looking for from Miyuki Takara, now known as Miyuki Broden.

Quickly, Tsukasa opened the email and began to read the message from her old friend.

_Dear Tsukasa,_

_ Thank you so much for sending me all your pictures of New York City. I have always dreamed of visiting it one day and my husband and I plan to do so in the near future. I can see that you and Yutaka are having a great time there and I saw some of your designs in a magazine not too long ago in Stockholm. Jakob sends his deepest and warmest wishes to you and thank you for wishing us a happy anniversary. It has been five wonderful years and with many more to come. To answer your question, yes I am in Africa again and this time I'm in Uganda. Jakob and I are still continuing our research on curing AIDS and we have several theories the medical review is examining now and we believe we may have found a possible link to a cure in the human genome. My cancer research is still going strong and I'm pleased to say that the medical review has approved my formula for the cure to colon cancer and are still testing my theory on lung cancer. I know I say this a lot, but thank you again for giving my name to your old doctor in Saitama. If I never met him, he never would've been able to mentor me and I don't know if I ever would've met my husband. I've included a few pictures of our latest trip to Uganda in this email so I hope you enjoy. I also wish to express my deepest regret again that I will not be able to see you in either London or Helsinki but duty calls, as I'm sure you know by now. If you ever find yourself in Stockholm, please don't hesitate to call and I'll meet you for tea. You make sure to do the same the next time I visit my parents in Tokyo. Until we talk again._

_ Love, _

_ Miyuki Broden_

Tsukasa was touched by the email. It washed away the depression she was feeling a little bit ago as she remembered Miyuki's incredible journey. When Tsukasa was finally able to leave White Mountain and found that Miyuki was already taking pre-med classes, Tsukasa asked Dr. Hirukawa to meet with her and see if there were any mentoring programs he could find for her. Dr. Hirukawa did Tsukasa one better. He took Miyuki under his wing personally and trained her while she still studied, though her training was still limited due to ethical concerns. When she became a doctor, Dr. Hirukawa put her on a plane to a medical conference in Stockholm, Sweden to address a medical council on her theories of curing diseases, which is where she met Dr. Jakob Broden. He was a very handsome man with golden hair, masculine facial stubble, tall, and very well toned. Broden was a leading researcher in infectious diseases and immediately took a shine to the Japanese doctor. One date led to another, and eventually to a marriage proposal. Miyuki became fluent in her English and Swedish and eventually received dual citizenship between Japan and Sweden. Miyuki, like many other people across the globe, owed Tsukasa a lot in their minds.

Tsukasa spent the next hour looking at the wonderful pictures of her with her husband in Uganda. Pictures included them holding each other as the sun was setting behind them, and also ones that showed them working hard. They included Miyuki giving a shot to a crying child as the mother held him, Dr. Broden listening to a child's heartbeat with his stethoscope, Miyuki talking with the locals of a village, among others. Tsukasa's favorite was of Miyuki on her knees and her arms wrapped around the shoulders of several smiling African children as they posed happily for the picture while giving the peace sign with their fingers.

Tsukasa sat back in her large chair and continued to reflect back on her life. She was happy for Miyuki and her husband as they continued to make the world a better place and that Dr. Hirukawa helped her do it. It was a sad day for not only Miyuki, but for the entire Hiiragi family when they got the news that Dr. Aito Hirukawa passed away at the age of eighty-eight, though peacefully in his sleep.

As stated before, Tsukasa was still prone to stages of deep depression, which was a permanent trait inflicted on her by the rape. She wondered if she truly made a difference and helped people, even though that was a stupid question. Tsukasa felt rollercoaster rides of emotions and guilt after she was released from White Mountain and learned of two fates.

She remembered she felt waves of relief when Ryosuke's trial was over. Guilty. That was the verdict handed down by the jury and the judge, who wept like a baby, as did the jury when they saw the infamous recorded video on the phone, sentenced him to no less than thirty years to life in prison. Anyone could've imagined the Hiiragi family's shock when he didn't even serve two years until he left prison. However, he didn't leave the prison in a conventional sense. Free men walk out the front doors. Dead men however leave through the back doors in body bags, and that's exactly how Ryosuke left…in a body bag.

As fate would have it, Ryosuke's cellmate was a father of two girls who was doing five years for robbery and assault on a police officer. He didn't take too kindly to rapists and one morning, the guards found Ryosuke's body in the jail cell and to their horror, he was nearly beheaded with an improvised knife made out of a toothbrush, meaning it was a very slow and painful death for the rapist at the hands of his cellmate. Tsukasa, to everyone's surprise, cried for Ryosuke when he died…but why? Not even she knew why. The only explanation they could come up with was that Tsukasa was just sick and tired of seeing so much meaningless violence in the world, whether it was against her or even against all four of her rapists, who were now dead.

She cried even longer and harder when she opened a newspaper one morning and found that a local Saitama girl was found dead in her place of business, The Black Window. Yuka Miyakawa's body was found naked in the store and the cause of death was established to be a drug overdose. Tsukasa cried relentlessly when she saw it and she blamed herself for Yuka's death because she felt she didn't do all that was necessary to try and help her as well. But that was Tsukasa's true personality. She felt emotions and attachments to all living things, even the one who nearly enabled her to be raped a second time. In the back of her mind though, Tsukasa knew that could've easily have been her if she stayed on her destructive path.

It was this character trait that attracted a young man to Tsukasa in the first place named Minoru. Whether it was a strange coincidence or an act of fate is anybody's guess, but Minoru met Tsukasa with her friends at their usual karaoke bar, which was their ongoing process to keep Tsukasa happy and loved. He thought she was amazing and though it took a long time to open up, Tsukasa eventually agreed to a date with him, though it was limited and even scary for the youngest Hiiragi twin.

After their first date though, Tsukasa didn't plan on seeing him again. Being in a relationship and being close to a man was still too much for her, which Minoru understood completely. That didn't stop him however from always being there as a friend who knew his limitations and his support and admiration for Tsukasa only grew with time. Tsukasa eventually began to develop feelings for Minoru as well and to everyone's surprise, took the initiative and asked him on another date one day. They dated for nearly an entire year until Tsukasa happily accepted his marriage proposal, thinking that her old fears were gone.

It was on their wedding night that Tsukasa realized she still struggled with everything that had happened to her. This was an issue Tsukasa wanted to talk to Kagami about when the time came later tonight, as they still had problems every now and then. One thing Tsukasa knew for sure though was that Minoru was crazy about her and would do anything for her, even when she wasn't around, and that was one of the many reasons why they still stayed together and defied the stigma of celebrity marriages. One day however, Tsukasa felt sick and instead of seeing a doctor, she went to a pharmacy and bought a specific test that married couples usually get after doing certain things.

Tsukasa snapped herself out of her memories and retrospective trip when her cell phone began ringing. She picked it up and when she saw it was her personal driver's number, she opened it and verbally greeted him. He informed her that the tour he took them on was over and that they were half an hour away from the hotel. She thanked him and readied herself for another public appearance, though she looked forward to this one more.

As she put herself back together and looked in the mirror, she suddenly noticed her uncovered right wrist. It was always covered with an old yellow ribbon that she used to wear in her hair, but now wore it around her wrist in an attempt to display it as a fashion trait. Instead, it was meant to cover something. Tsukasa looked at her wrist and saw the deep scar across her wrist and shuddered at the sight while covering it up again with the ribbon.

_It's all in the past…it's all in the past._

Waiting in the grand lobby of the Plaza Hotel, Tsukasa and Yutaka stood side-by-side. Staring at the large front doors, Yutaka could tell that her boss was nervous by the way she trembled.

"You need to relax, Tsukasa. This is your own family after all." Yutaka stated.

Tsukasa nodded. "I know…it's just that I want them to have a good time. That's all."

"They're spending time with you. Of course it'll be a good time." Yutaka replied and wanted to add more but felt her cell phone ringing and excused herself to answer it.

The nervous fashion designer took her assistant's words to heart. Her family was just going to be happy to see her and that was it. It didn't matter if they were in New York, Japan, or even on the moon. All that mattered was that they were together but either way, Tsukasa was sparing no expense to make sure her family was shown a good time.

When Yutaka returned, she grabbed Tsukasa's attention and the fashion designer missed seeing her limousine pull up to the front of the Plaza Hotel. "I have some interesting news for you, Tsukasa. I just got off the phone with representatives from Gucci and they want to meet with us and negotiate a contract."

Hearing the news brought a smile to Tsukasa's mouth. She had really hit the big times now but all the ideas of further fame and fortune and security for her family were suddenly washed away when she heard two childish voices scream "mommy" across the lobby. Tsukasa turned her head back and saw two children running towards her with their backpacks hanging behind them and their smiles as wide as they could make them. Tsukasa's children. Her seven year old son, Aito, named after the doctor that saved both the lives of Kagami and Tsukasa. Her five year old daughter, Kiyora, named after the current Prime Minister of Japan…and good friend of the Hiiragi family.

Tsukasa fell to her knees and opened her arms with a loving smile and reeled her children into her chest as they hugged their mother back. Their laughter was an avalanche of white noise that Tsukasa gobbled up and couldn't get enough as she held her children tighter and tighter. She looked up and saw everybody. The whole support system that gave her strength every day. Her loving husband Minoru Shiraishi walked over carrying most of the suitcases with a smile on his face.

Behind him, she saw her aged though still gracious parents with their arms wrapped around each other's arms as they walked slowly. They were accompanied by Tsukasa's oldest sister Inori, who hadn't changed a bit, aside from her enlarged stomach that was due to deliver a new life in a few weeks. Helping carrying more bags for her parents and pregnant sister was Matsuri, who also didn't change her appearance in so long, though her current career dedicated as a permanent Miko and future heir of the Hiiragi family shrine didn't match her tough personality. It was one of the quirks Matsuri acquired after watching all the miracles surrounding Kagami and especially Tsukasa unfold that renewed the religious faith in her.

Inori Hideyoshi was her name now. Married to a physics professor at Tokyo University, Kenji Hideyoshi was beloved by the family because of his love and support for Inori. It was their religious faiths though that clashed every now and then but one thing they could agree on was that they loved each other.

After a teary reunion in the lobby, and after several more hours of adjusting in the luxurious hotel rooms, it was time for dinner…and time for three more guests. Kagami arrived with Konata and Hiyori later that night at 7:00 pm and all were treated to a spectacular five-star feast at the Plaza Hotel, all bought and paid for by Tsukasa. It was a special dinner that she orchestrated by herself as a thanks to all her friends and family for always being there for her, though her children's innocent minds were far from the heartfelt speech as they flung food at each other while no one looked.

It was the event after that Tsukasa was looking forward to the most. When everyone else went to their rooms for the night, Tsukasa stayed up with Kagami as they sat alone at The Champagne Bar as the night wore on. So much to talk about, yet so little time. They couldn't help but remember the time they laid in the same hospital bed when Tsukasa awoke from her coma and they were fine with the perfect silence between them knowing that just the company of the other was enough. As they drank though, Tsukasa still consulted her sister on personal issues.

"So you've been saying you've had some problems with Minoru?" Kagami asked as she sat in her classy suit and drank her wine.

Tsukasa nodded. "I remember we had a fight before I left to come here. He's growing tired of all my traveling and he feels he's becoming a single parent."

Kagami narrowed her eyes. "That's kind of harsh, don't you think?"

To her surprise, Tsukasa shook her head. "I can see his argument though. Aito and Kiyora are growing up and I'm starting to worry that maybe Minoru is right. Am I missing out on my children growing up?"

"You're working very hard and you're an excellent provider, Tsukasa. Minoru is like my brother now and I also know that he knows that as well. He's just a little frustrated because he wants you to be around more often, and not just for your kids." Kagami said as she crossed her legs. "He loves you with all his heart and he's a wonderful father. When you're travelling, I always visit and when I see him with Aito and Kiyora, he's like a superhero to them. He also can't go one whole visit without saying how much he cherishes you."

Tsukasa smiled. "Thanks, sis. I always like to hear that. But there was another issue I've been having with Minoru that I only trust talking with you about."

Nodding with a smile, Kagami said, "I'm all ears, Tsukasa."

When Tsukasa blushed, Kagami knew she was going to hear more intimate details. "Well…we've been having trouble…in the bedroom lately.

Kagami felt a blush paint itself across her face as well. "I…I see. Tell me then…if you want to."

Tsukasa gulped slightly. "Well, the nightmares returned again."

Kagami's blush disappeared and her heart raced. This was an issue Tsukasa still struggled with to this day, though it had grown more infrequent as the years progressed. She still had nightmares about being raped in the Kagura-den. Some of those nightmares ended with those monsters murdering her, making her scream herself awake.

"How bad are they?" Kagami asked.

"Still very few and far between, but whenever I have them…Minoru and I have trouble…expressing our love to each other for awhile, if you know what I mean." Tsukasa said and her sister could see it was taking a lot for her younger sister to admit this.

Kagami slowly nodded. "I see. Well you know this by now but marriage isn't all about sex and that he needs to keep in mind that you will only be comfortable with certain things."

Tsukasa's emotions lit up. "Oh sis, please don't misunderstand what I'm saying. Minoru isn't like other men. He always was and always will be a perfect gentleman in that area and he's very sensitive to my needs and limits. In fact, I need to tell you something about our wedding night. When we got to our hotel and we were about to make love for the first time, I wanted to do it so badly…but I just couldn't. I was so scared and when I couldn't, I started crying. Do you know what he did?"

Kagami shook her head.

"He hugged me close and whispered, 'everything will be okay. You're my treasure and I love you with everything I've got. I'm not going anywhere…now rest yourself and let me fix you some tea. I'll even throw in a foot massage.'" Tsukasa recited their rough wedding night.

Kagami couldn't help but smile. "Well…like I said, he loves you with all his heart. So are you afraid you're going to split or something?"

"It's not even that. I was talking about this with Yutaka earlier and my concern is not for me and Minoru…but for our children." Tsukasa said and drank a bit of her wine. "I've accepted the fact that I was raped a long time ago and I've worked as an activist on the side and have spoken at many political events condemning sex crimes across the world, but I worry about the kids. They won't be young forever and they will inevitably ask questions about sex and adult relationships. What do I do when that time comes? Do I tell them about…what happened to me, or do I try and hide it from them? I don't want them to lose their innocence like I did. Or worse…think differently about me."

This was a head-scratcher as far as Kagami was concerned. Telling children that their mother was a victim of rape must be a herculean task and how do you exactly go about doing that? Kagami could see her sister's concerns, as well as the concerns Tsukasa didn't vocalize. Tsukasa may not have said it, but how would this affect their thoughts on relationships when they grew up? Kiyora took directly after Tsukasa at that age and was very timid and looked up to her older brother as her hero. Would knowing about the rape change her mind about him or her perspective on the male gender in the future? Aito however took after Kagami and Matsuri in his vibrant enthusiasm, energy, and bull-headedness, but he loved his sister and always vowed to protect her.

"There's no need to tell them any time soon. When the time comes, you'll know it, Tsukasa. I have all the confidence in the world in your abilities as a mother and a strong woman." Kagami proclaimed for Tsukasa with pride. "In fact, I would keep them away from your speech at Columbia University tomorrow. Let Minoru take them to see the city again or take them somewhere else that they'll have fun."

Tsukasa smiled and nodded. "Thank you Kagami. You know I love you very much, right?"

Kagami stood from her side of the booth and sat next to Tsukasa and pulled her tight. "I know, Tsukasa, I know. You're my little sister and you will always be. Now go sleep with your husband."

Tsukasa giggled at the blunt and comedic comment to calm her nerves. The two sisters said goodnight to each other and Tsukasa returned to her suite, where her husband was sleeping. When she slipped into her nightgown and crawled into bed, it woke Minoru and he looked at Tsukasa.

"How was Kagami?" He yawned.

To his sudden surprise, Tsukasa rolled herself on top of him and kissed him deeply. When their kiss was complete, she looked down at him. "I'm going to order Yutaka to schedule a long vacation for just us and the kids. As soon as my visit to Helsinki is over, it'll be just the four of us for a very long time."

It all came as such a sudden shock. "But…but what about the next series of shows?"

"I can always send someone else in my place." Tsukasa said as she sat on her husband's lap. "I just don't want to keep missing more milestones for the kids. Now…do you want me to take this nightgown off…or do _you_ want to take it off me?"

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

Tsukasa was very nervous now. She sat backstage with a bottle of water trembling in her hands as she heard the auditorium fill with psychology students all anxious to hear her story and how she bounced back from such darkness. Nearly two hundred students were going to be at this speech, all of whom were already big fans of either her story, her fashion, her activism, or her culinary skills.

As she sat, her heart suddenly raced when she heard the professor overseeing the speech say over the microphone, "Okay let me have your attention please. As you know, we have a _very_special guest speaker today. We have the unprecedented pleasure to meet Tsukasa Shiraishi today, as you all know is not only an international superstar in the fashion world, but is one of the greatest living activists for persecuting sex crimes across the globe. What makes her story even more incredible is that Mrs. Shiraishi is also a victim of rape, and also how she fell into a dark abyss that threatened to keep her forever, but she wouldn't let that happen…"

The professor's voice trailed off when Tsukasa heard her children approach the backstage and Aito was leading the charge. He rushed over and hugged his mother as Minoru also walked in and carrying Kiyora, who was clearly shy and unsure of her foreign surroundings.

"Good luck, mommy!" He announced.

Tsukasa smiled and kissed him on the head. "Thank you dear, but I'm afraid you won't be able to see mommy speak."

This disappointed the young boy. "But why not?!"

Minoru took it from there. "Hey little buddy, what do you say we go on a little adventure in the city?"

"But I don't want to, daddy! I want to stay with mommy and watch her speak!" He protested.

Minoru smiled and said, "Well, okay. I guess your sister and I will just have to go to the world's biggest toy store alone then."

His ears suddenly perked up and all his previous interest in his mother's speech disappeared. He quickly snatched his father's hand and began to drag him to the exit door while chanting about the toy store. Kiyora on the other hand didn't want to go. She readied herself to cry and said, "I want to stay with mommy."

Tsukasa stood and walked over to her daughter and took her from Minoru's grasp and held her. "Now, now, don't make such a fuss, Kiyora. Your father and big brother will be there with you and you can have a new toy. What part about that doesn't sound fun?"

Drying her eyes, Kiyora looked at her mother and said, "I don't want to leave you, mommy."

_Why does this seem so familiar?_

Tsukasa shook the intuitive question out of her mind and sat her daughter down, allowing her to stand on her own. "I'll tell you what. I'm going to let you have this."

Tsukasa began to unfasten the yellow ribbon that hid the deep scar across her wrist.

"What's that, mommy?" Kiyora asked as Tsukasa began to tie it in her daughter's hair.

"I always wore this for good luck but on you, this ribbon automatically makes you ten times cuter than any other kid in the world." Tsukasa said and finished tying the ribbon in the familiar style with the two yellow tails sticking up above her daughter's head. When everyone sees your ribbon, they will be so jealous and they'll want to be your friend. You'll make new friends in no time."

"Really?" Kiyora asked as she lifted her eyes towards the ribbon.

"Absolutely, in fact I think I _will_ need that after all for my speech. I changed my mind. Give it back." Tsukasa commanded and quickly tickled her daughter's stomach, making her laugh enthusiastically.

Minoru picked his once again happy daughter up and let his son lead the charge towards the limousine that would take them to FAO Schwarz Toy Store. Tsukasa sighed happily and heard the professor end the introduction and she readied herself.

"And without further adieu, please welcome to Columbia University…Tsukasa Shiraishi." She said and suddenly, the whole auditorium erupted in relentless applause.

Tsukasa stepped out from behind the corner and walked into the shining lights beaming down on her and looked at the people staring at her. They were on their feet and clapping loudly as she approached the podium. Looking in the audience, she saw her parents sitting in the front row, each one wiping tears from their eyes already as they watched her stand before the packed house. Kagami sat next to them, as did Inori and Matsuri. Konata and Hiyori also sat nearby and also applauded as Tsukasa looked before them and cleared her throat.

When the applause subsided and everyone sat down again, Tsukasa thought again. She was happy. Her life was a success and she didn't let one tragic event in her life slow her down or keep her from fulfilling her promise of making everyone proud. As she stared into the audience, for a quick second, she thought she saw a woman with blue hair, green eyes, and in a white dress in the aisle and looking at her with a smile. She blinked and the figure was suddenly gone.

She shook it off and saw everything as she looked into the audience again. She saw Tadao and Miki still holding onto each other and still married and as happy as ever. Her friends and family surrounded her and Tsukasa looked up into the glowing lights shining down on her. It was as if the heavens were watching her as well and she felt blessed. She was in the light. She was dealt one of the darkest and daunting hands the horrors of life could ever concoct, and yet she never gave up. Her war against the evil was over. She had won.

"My name is Tsukasa Shiraishi…and fifteen years ago, my innocence was stolen from me. What came next though, was only the beginning…"

THE END

*There you go! Hope everyone had as much fun reading it as I did writing it! Big thanks to all who reviewed every update and you know who you are! You guys rock!


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